How does Cape Coral’s noise ordinance compare to other Florida cities?

Folks in Cape Coral want the loud noises to stop. Soon you could get a ticket if you are loud after 11 p.m., even if the police do not hear it.

The City of Cape Coral is asking everyone to keep the loud sounds down after 11 p.m. But so are other cities. In every major city across the state fo Florida, there is some type of noise ordinance in place. But it is Cape Coral’s ordinance that has a drastic difference from the rest.

“That could be a little tricky,” said Cape Coral resident, Diana Forespring. “We have some that are a little noisy and like to party.”

“People like the quieter setting, you know?” said Bill Cation, who lives in Cape Coral. “The Cape has always been known a little bit more low-key.”

Every city WINK News checked with, an official has to hear the noise. But not in Cape Coral. The rule is problematic for businesses with outdoor music, like Rusty’s Raw Bar & Grill.

“It’s going to cut our legs off at our knees,” said Nicole Isner, human resources director at Rusty’s Raw Bar & Grill, “because our bartenders are going to lose money.”

In Fort Myers, no witness statements are used. While in Naples, witness statements are only used for a case of non-compliance that can end in an arrest.

Miami police told WINK News most of their noise complaints are anonymous. Jacksonville trains deputies to investigate complaints and does not rely on witnesses.

But the Cape Coral Police Dept. said they are not just handing out citations. If a witness complains, it needs to be an affidavit, rather than only a verbal complaint.

“You know, you don’t wanna cause a problem with your neighbors because sometimes it does get late into the night,” Forespring said. “So I don’t know about the police being there. I don’t know that is a tough one.”