A group of 25 Ajijic residents fed up with excessive noise in their neighborhoods got the ear of City Hall officials at a meeting held Thursday, August 29, in the mayor’s office.
The government’s cabinet chief Paulo Gómez, Regulations Department head Francisco Torres and one of his inspectors attended to the group, representing Chapala Mayor Moisés Anaya, who was out of town at the time.
As a spokesman for the group, attorney John Brennan presented a written complaint lodged July 2 at seven city hall offices in reference to a property situated on Ajijic’s western outskirts that is being used both as a lumber yard and occasional party venue. The nerve-racking noise from cargo trucks, chain saws and high volume music has become a constant irritant to more than 100 householders living in nearby residential complexes, who signed the denouncement.
Confirming that the land owner has been denied a business license for the cited purposes, Gómez pledged to follow through on the matter. He also agreed to get Jalisco’s anti-noise statutes posted on the Chapala government website.
Other problems that were aired concern a licensed events center, also located west of Ajijic, and a restaurant on the town’s east side where live musical groups perform on a regular basis. Residents in the vicinity are asking the authorities to step in to tone down the din.
Torres went over the procedures being followed since his office began enforcement of noise control rules for business establishments last month. Offenders are first issued warnings to comply with permissible decibel levels and operating hours. Non-compliance can subsequently lead to fines, temporary closures and ultimately cancellation of business licenses.
He reminded those on hand that complaints may be called in at any hour to inspector Juan Vargas, who speaks some English, at 331-228-7366, or Rodolfo Anguiano at 333-440-1885. The Chapala police department handles noise issues occurring in public spaces and private properties that are reported to 376-765-4444.