SEBASTIAN — The Sebastian City Council will look into an ongoing complaint by Sebastian resident Walt McCarty, who says there’s “a hole in the City Code” that has caused him and others in his neighborhood years of aggravation and sleepless nights – in the form of “multiple exotic birds” who scream incessantly from a neighbor’s back yard.
“It’s gone on for years,” he told council at its Aug. 27 meeting.
From the variety of sounds emanating from the neighbor’s yard, McCarty believes there are several different breeds whose “obnoxious” shrieking can last from a minute to “one hour straight.”
He says he has contacted the Sebastian Police Department several times over the years, and officers have responded and spoken with the birds’ owners. The birds are quiet briefly, but after a while, they start screeching again, according to McCarty.
Although he understands that loud birds are, rightfully, not at the top of law enforcement’s priority list, he thinks perhaps if a fine were levied at some point, it might provide incentive for the owners to be more proactive in keeping their birds quiet or inside. As it is now, he says, “I think it’s a waste of police resources” with apparently no way to enforce whatever regulations currently exist.
He mentions that another neighbor has considered more bellicose solutions to the problem, including but not limited to throwing beer cans. A simple code change such as requiring such birds to be kept inside would help.
“My wife suffers from migraines,” McCarty says. “Just give the law some teeth. I just want peace. When I first get up I’d like to have a cup of coffee in that quiet little moment. It’s a peace of mind issue, a quality of life issue.”
Mayor Bob McPartlan wondered whether the current city noise ordinance covers dogs and birds. “We should be looking into it,” he said. City Manager Joe Griffin said he’d find out.
Councilwoman Andrea Coy said she used to have two parrots but gave them away because of the noise they made. “They didn’t like me to be on the phone,” she said, and they’d voice their displeasure to an earsplittingly raucous level. “I appreciate how loud it is,” she told McCarty. “Let’s see what we can do.”
Councilman Richard Gillmor said he thinks the current noise ordinance will cover the situation, but asked Griffin to “find out if we’ve ever received fines (for noise). I would be surprised if we ever (levied a) fine for the noise ordinance. Ever.”
McCarty was thanked for bringing the issue to council’s attention and assured the matter would be looked into.