Noise Regulation Ordinance Passes

Del Rio Chief of Police Frank Ramirez addresses questions about a new noise regulation ordinance, May 20, 2025.

The City of Del Rio council members voted to enact "Noise and Sound Level Regulations" on Tuesday, which outlines unacceptable noise levels partly on the basis of their decibel measurement, though primarily on the judgement of individual officers' "common sense". The ordinance also provides city police officers the power to enforce the regulation whenever such a nuisance is reported.

More about the specifics of the ordinance can be read here.

Response from citizens about the new regulation is mixed, with some Del Rio residents expressing approval and gratitude for the law on social media. "We need this, thanks Chief..." said one Del Rio citizen, referring to Police Chief Frank Ramirez.

Other responses expressed skepticism about the intentions of City law enforcement who receive more power from the ordinance. One comment claims the regulations are an "Abuse of power".

In public forums about the ordinance, Police Chief Ramirez seems to recognize the potential risks for the crossing of citizens' boundaries that the regulation poses, and assures residents that his police officers "are not here to make anyone's life harder."

Chief Ramirez has also confirmed to citizens, while addressing City council, that fines will simply not be issued (with one exception) for quite some time after the ordinance enters into effect. The exception will be for "habitual" noise offenders. Chief Ramirez says a lengthy period of warnings and educating the public about the new noise limits will be prioritized over handing out fines.

The next step for the City is to create the fine schedule, or the rubric that attaches classes of noise offenses to fine amounts. A date when the new law goes into effect has not yet been publicized.