Opponents of St. Pete Beach noise ordinance proposal to speak at Tuesday meeting

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Critics of a proposed ordinance that would significantly shorten live music hours at bars and restaurants in St. Pete Beach plan to voice their concerns to city commissioners on Tuesday night.

The backstory:

Under the city's proposal, "quiet hours" would start at 7 p.m., three hours earlier than the current 10 p.m. cutoff – limiting any sound that can be heard more than 200 feet away.

Business owners have come out against the idea, saying earlier quiet hours could drive away customers and threaten jobs.

Opponents of the change have even launched an online petition, which has passed 5,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning.

The other side:

Some residents have complained about noise levels, saying they can clearly hear music inside their homes as if they were "standing right in front of the stage."

Dig deeper:

City leaders say the proposal is still a work in progress, with one commissioner telling FOX 13 that the 7 p.m. quiet hour came from a model ordinance used by other cities.

Mayor Adrian Petrila says he's focused on protecting the quality of life for residents while supporting a healthy business community.

What's next:

While the noise ordinance proposal isn't up for formal discussion until at least October, critics plan to speak during public comment at Tuesday's meeting, which starts at 6 p.m.