The Warrenton Board of Aldermen unanimously approved an ordinance which amended the city’s code relating to information technology and data processing facilities during their Dec. 16 meeting after making adjustments for setbacks and decibel level requirements.

The proposed ordinance came before the aldermen after passing a Planning and Zoning Commission review, where the commission approved the measure 10-0.

The board spent a significant period of time discussing issues relating to emergency generators to be used by a business, specifically the property line setbacks and acceptable decibel levels at the property line. The original setbacks approved by planning and zoning recommended setbacks of 25 feet for residential, 50 for commercial and 100 for industrial properties nearby. Alderman Brandon Lang suggested that one setback limit would be more appropriate and suggested a minimum setback for generators to be 100 feet from any property line.

The decibel level had also been set in a tiered system with 60 for residential, 70 for commercial and 80 for industrial at the property line. Lang suggested that 60 decibels should be the across the board figure.

City Attorney John Young explained to the board that the figures set would be minimum requirements, meaning that under a conditional use permit, city officials could make the requirements more stringent, such as 150 feet for a setback, or a lower decibel level, depending on the project presented to them.

This led to extensive debate, with Alderman Christine Wait suggesting that the matter should be tabled for further discussion and a possible work session to discuss the matter. She made a motion to that effect, but her motion failed 3-2, with Wait and Lang voting for tabling, while aldermen Scott Schulze, Roger Romaker and Larry Corder voted against. This led to the board continuing the discussion on setbacks and decibel levels.

Lang continued to argue for 60 decibels and a 100-foot setback, while other board members, specifically Romaker and Corder, suggested slightly different numbers. At one point Romaker suggested 70 decibels, while Corder suggested 75 feet as a setback.

The board went back and forth in the discussion for several minutes before a consensus formed around Lang’s suggested numbers. Ultimately the board voted 5-0 to amend the ordinance to set the decibel level at the property line at 60 decibels and the property line setback for any generators at a minimum 100 feet.

The board also discussed some other issues, but did not reach any consensus regarding the ordinance.

Early in the discussion, Lang suggested a 300-foot setback for natural surface waters to match the state’s 300-foot setback for drinking wells for high-risk contamination sources, in this case fuel storage containers, but the discussion went no further. Wait suggested requiring generators to be in closed buildings, but this also gained no traction in the discussion.

The ordinance also referenced quarterly inspection of all generators. There was some discussion of adding in a quarterly inspection regarding fuel storage, and while Mayor Eric Schleuter suggested to Young to add that language in, it was technically not voted upon as an amendment to the ordinance.

Ultimately the ordinance, with the two amendments, was passed unanimously by a 5-0 vote, with one alderman being absent. Alderman Jack Crump was not present at the Dec. 16 meeting.