Noise in Lewes? Refer to the core values
Lewes, as it has progressed from a working-class town to a resort capitalizing on its history, beaches and restaurants, is now in the thick of the same problems confronted by Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach, particularly in terms of noise and parking.
More than two decades ago, Lewes adopted a set of core values to assist in decisionmaking. These are values people did not want to see diminish as time brought inevitable change.
The idea behind the core values is that trends and issues that enhance the core values should be encouraged and applauded, while trends or issues that diminish the core values should be addressed so as to reverse the negative direction. One of the simplest and clearest core values adopted by the community states: Lewes is a town of busy days and quiet nights.
During a recent city discussion about wedding receptions at Lewes Beach residential properties and requests for permission to have amplified music at least until 10 p.m., no mention was reported about the core value and its bearing on the discussion. Yet, it couldn’t be much more straightforward.
When the sun goes down, according to the core value, quiet should prevail. If some event or activity produces a result counter to that core value, it’s called disturbing the peace.
For those personally affected by disturbances of the peace, the neighborly thing to do is to touch base with those involved, express concern, and ask for peace to be restored. If that doesn’t work, Lewes - like most municipalities - has a police force trained to deal with such situations to restore the peace.
Those seeking to have amplified outdoor music after dark, or who engage in some other kind of noisy activity after dark, shouldn’t be surprised if residents of the community take exception.
Core values are serious business. A lot of thought and effort went into identifying and articulating them, and they are an important part of what defines the standards of the town. They should always be the basis of discussions like these to provide impartial guidance to set a course of action.
