Council approves temporary fix to live music controversy
By Luisa Loi
La Conner Community News
Tuesday, after much discussion over what noise levels are appropriate for La Conner Live’s concert series, the La Conner Town Council unanimously approved a resolution establishing a set of temporary rules for live outdoor music.
“I think we should take this summer as a learning experience to try some different things to get a handle on those sound levels,” Councilmember MaryLee Chamberlain said in front of a packed room in the upper Maple Center.
Under the resolution, the sound emanating from concerts in Gilkey Square (recognized as special events) should be at a level of 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA), with transient peaks up to 100 dBA.
While decibels (dB) are commonly used to measure sounds, humans don’t hear frequencies equally, so the A-weighted decibels take into account relative loudness by giving more value to middle frequencies than to the very low and high ones, according to Soundcy.com.
The resolution also gives Town staff the authority to enforce the provisions and to “provide an effective means of controlling sound volume,” as opposed to recruiting someone who is not already a Town employee. Staff will also create a tip line where community members can submit complaints pertaining to noise levels or other issues they are experiencing.
Whenever possible, sound levels should be measured in accordance with state code, with measurements taken at the midpoint of the north and south Gilkey Square property lines.
In 2022, the council passed an ordinance establishing that the Town should follow state code to regulate noise levels, limiting them to 55 decibels — or the level of a normal conversation. The Town didn’t enforce the rule for years, until the complaints “got out of hand” in 2025, Mayor Marna Hanneman said, adding that the grievances did not just come from merchants. Hanneman was not in office in 2022.
Numerous speakers came forward during the public comment period, reaffirming their love for the shows, their disapproval with the 55 decibel limitation, and arguing that the Town should not pander to a minority of complainants. One resident, Gary Nelson, shared that he and his neighbors in the Morris Street area have been dealing with noise from a nearby construction site from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and proposed revising the code for all noise, not just live music.
The council reiterated there was never a discussion to end music on Sundays, and that the 55 decibel limit was unfeasible and thus an error in judgement.
It is now up to La Conner Live whether the concerts will resume this Sunday, officials said in response to a musician’s inquiry on what to expect.
Hanneman acknowledged not everyone will be pleased with the changes.
“We all want music. We all want to continue. But we have to be respectful of the noise,” she said.
Luisa Loi is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
