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Jacksonville, Britt Festivals sound out noise agreement Mediation session could broker deal By BILL VARBLE Jacksonville and officials of the Britt Festivals are close to an agreement on noise limits at the annual summer music series. A mediation session, maybe the final one, is set for Jan. 28 in Jacksonville. It is closed to the public. "Presumably we can come to some conclusion," Jacksonville City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen said Thursday. "I'm feeling more positive all the time," Britt Executive Director Ron McUne said. That's not to say there aren't differences remaining. After years of complaints from some neighbors about noise, sound levels at Britt were measured extensively last summer with sophisticated equipment. Some concerts pushed past the 90-decibel mark. Mediation sessions followed. The last got bogged down in the technical minutiae of measuring sound. The city wants a clear standard; Britt wants some flexibility. "At our last session we hammered on some of the numbers," Wyntergreen said. "As an administrator, I'd like something that says 55 miles an hour, you're over or you're under. I'd like something nice and clean and numeric." "I'm sure that's what they'd like," McUne said. "We hope there's flexibility." In the past, noise complaints could lead to complex reviews of the conditional use permit under which Britt operates on county-owned land in the city. Once a standard is agreed on, Britt could simply be fined for exceeding the limit, Wyntergreen said. But Britt marshalled evidence that applause, diesel trucks, neighborhood parties and even the weather can affect sensitive sound measurements. Britt wants a standard of 90 decibels at the mixing board, the current mark. Most shows are in compliance most of the time, McUne said. Britt received no noise complaints last season, he said. In a September poll, two-thirds of nearby neighbors said noise decreased in 1999; 44 percent of those living slightly farther away agreed. Ninety decibels at the mixing board translates to about 70 at the nearest property and 52 to 55 a block away, McUne said. "They want to be able to go back and look at the numbers," he said. "We're unable to remember each time there are diesels or dogs barking or applause ... when they're looking later." He wants one or two decibels of leeway. "It works to our advantage too," he said, adding that the record could also exonerate Britt in the face of complaints. The next step is for the county to apply to the city of Jacksonville to amend its conditional use permit to reflect the new standard. Wyntergreen said he expected the matter to come to the Jacksonville Planning Commission in March along with public hearings. Other issues with Britt's operation have been for the most part ironed out, he said. City and Britt officials are still talking about providing more parking, including about 50 spaces next to Britt's existing lot and some handicapped spaces on the south side of the Britt grounds. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA