"Welcome to Rockville," a two-day music festival at Metropolitan Park, is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday when the first of 25 acts on the first day's schedule takes the stage.
The festival is a stop on a national outdoor venue tour being billed as "The World's Loudest Month."
Yet, how loud it is this weekend at Metropolitan Park will not be a concern for festival promoters.
City Council enacted legislation to waive application of the City's Environmental Protection Board Rule 4, which limits allowable noise level.
The waiver applied to the Southeast US Boat Show at the park and marina April 12-14, Welcome to Rockville this weekend and to "Funk Fest," scheduled May 10-11. Penalties associated with violation of Rule 3 also have been waived for the festivals.
The waiver period is 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.
The legislation was put forth by members of the Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Metropolitan Park, which was formed after complaints from residents on the Southbank about noise disturbances during music events at Metropolitan Park.
As part of the temporary waiver of regulations and penalties, the City's Environmental Quality Division will conduct a survey of noise levels inside the park and in neighborhoods along and near the Southbank during the festivals.
At the committee's Thursday meeting, Senior Environmental Engineering Manager Robert Pace said noise-level monitoring was conducted at several sites in the park and surrounding areas during the boat show's music festival.
He said the performers did not use the pavilion stage at the park, but instead performed on a trailer near the marina. He described the setup as "not a typical event."
The exercise did prepare the Environmental Quality Division staff to collect data on noise levels associated with live entertainment at Metropolitan Park. Pace said it was an "excellent exercise."
"The survey confirmed the department is ready to evaluate sound levels during Welcome to Rockville," he said.
Council member Lori Boyer, who chaired the meeting Thursday, directed Pace to instruct his staff to collect noise data at various times during the festival to determine the collective impact on the community, rather than focusing on momentary noise levels.
"I think duration is relevant," she said.
"The Council didn't ask your department to determine if the noise ordinance is violated, we asked for an analysis of the noise level," Boyer said.
Attorney Mike Yokan, representing Danny Wimmer Productions, the producer of the festival, said independent engineers have been retained to conduct a survey of noise levels with results to be compared to the City's evaluation.
Other events are scheduled Saturday at the sports complex, including a charity walk and a barbecue festival at EverBank Field and a Jacksonville Suns game at the Baseball Grounds, said Tracy Evans, SMG's venue manager at EverBank Field.
"That could affect the sound levels and the measured data," she said.
For ticket information and the schedule of performers for this weekend's festival, visit welcometorockvillefestival.com.
(904) 356-2466
Facebook.com/jaxdailyrecord