Salida City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve Ordinance 2026-15, updating the city’s noise control code to comply with Colorado state law — a change that lowers allowable outdoor decibel limits and restricts which entities can apply for sound permit exemptions.
City Administrator Christy Doon told council the update was necessary because Salida, as a statutory municipality, must align its code with Colorado Revised Statutes. The previous ordinance had been written as though Salida operated under home-rule authority. Under the revised code, outdoor commercial noise in certain zones drops to 55 decibels after 7 p.m. — a level some speakers compared to a running dishwasher. Exemptions above those limits are available only to nonprofits or government entities sponsoring qualifying cultural, entertainment, athletic, or patriotic events.
Several downtown business owners and residents spoke during the public hearing. The co-owner of Tres Litros Brewery told council live music drives significant sales tax revenue and supports staff wages in a community where workers often hold multiple jobs. A downtown resident who lives near a bar said she cannot hear her television over outdoor music and called for bars to keep sound contained indoors. Another resident and downtown property owner raised concerns about how the nonprofit exemption process could be exploited by shell organizations fronting for-profit venues, citing a similar situation in Colorado Springs.
Police Chief Russ Johnson described enforcement: officers respond to complaints, measure decibels at 25 feet from the property line using a phone app, and first attempt voluntary compliance before issuing formal warnings. Johnson said the department has made hiring progress and feels prepared heading into summer.
Council members acknowledged frustration with the state-imposed limits but said operational adjustments — including limits on how often a single nonprofit can apply for exemptions — could be addressed through the permit application process without reopening the code.
In other action, council unanimously approved a new tavern liquor license for The Velveteen Lounge at 115 G Street. The consent agenda passed 6-0, advancing the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code on first reading, a boundary line adjustment ordinance, and a zoning map correction — all set for second reading and public hearing July 7.
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