Item 13 is the biggie continued from December: changes to the noise ordinance. This discussion has been going on since at least 2009. The agenda report is eight pages of difficult-to-understand wording. The PowerPoint at 15 pages is not much better. The City seems to believe that the current standards are unenforceable and need to be raised for both indoor (windows and doors open?) and outdoor entertainment. The proposal is to raise the outdoor entertainment permitted sound level, as measured in decibels (dBs or A-weighted decibels, which is what we actually experience). A sound level meter that measures A-weighted decibels has an electrical circuit that allows the meter to have the same sensitivity to sound at different frequencies as the average human ear. There are also B-weighted and C-weighted scales, but the A-weighted scale is the one most commonly used for measuring loud noise. In short, they suggest raising it from 55dB (A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB, and a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB.), which staff says is unenforceable, to 75 dB (the noise levels of vacuum cleaners fall between 75dB to 85dB), between the hours of 5-10 pm (except when it is 5-12 pm—indoors). Measurements will generally be taken 50’ from the property line.

Item 14 discusses what to do on July 4th (July 4th is on a Thursday). Several options were mentioned, including:

1. A downtown event with fireworks (and vendors, bands, and a kids’ play area).
2. An event at CSUF with fireworks that may or may not have the above amenities.
3. A weekend Founders Day event with a parade and all the rest.

Founders Day celebrates the establishment of Fullerton on July 5th, 1887, which falls on a Friday this year, but the discussion calls for a “weekend festival.” Costs are in the $140,000-$220,000 net range. An event in the HS stadium is no longer possible due to solar panels.

Item 15 addresses safe and sane fireworks sales, which is the same as last year except for doubling the permit fee to $4,649.

Item 16 is the 2nd quarter financial report.

Item 17 is a raise for the City Manager from $250,000 to 270,000, plus monthly flex credits of $350 for medical benefits. Still lower than most OC cities. The police chief is paid $249,062, going up to $284,225 in 2027. (The interim president of CSUF is paid $476,223, not that that is relevant).

Item 18 is to appoint a delegate and alternate to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) General Assembly.

At the last meeting, with about 30 people speaking in favor and none opposed, the Council approved moving ahead with the UP trail on a 5-0 vote. Those who seemed to oppose it previously stated that they never considered sending the money back and always wanted a trail. It was interesting to see history being revised so openly. (The effective width of the right-of-way was reduced from 50’ to 30’ with the remaining area set aside to benefit residents of new apartment buildings, apparently the change that made passage possible).