Updated 1/15/2021 8:30 PM
Through expanded outdoor dining options, St. Charles officials have tried to create ways to help struggling restaurants and bars survive the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But in St. Charles and other towns, there's been a downside: an uptick in noise complaints from residents bothered by outdoor music performances.
Now St. Charles officials are trying to strike a balance by implementing a temporary ban on amplified outdoor music. Or, as St. Charles Ward 4 Alderman David Pietryla termed it: "Acoustic, yes. Amplified, no."
Pietryla and fellow Ward 4 Alderman Lora Vitek detailed the issue at Monday's St. Charles planning and development committee meeting after receiving complaints from residents.