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By KEVIN GRAHAMHillsborough commissioners approve a plan aimed at cutting noise levels during concerts.
TAMPA - Clear Channel Entertainment and the Hillsborough Environmental Protection Commission reached an agreement this morning to reduce noise levels at the Ford Amphitheatre, which include building a $2.5-million sound barrier wall.
The motion for approval passed 6-1, with Commissioner Kathy Castor voting no. Back on Oct. 20, the commission rejected a similar offer from Clear Channel.
The terms of the agreement reached Thursday also require Clear Channel to create a community advisory committee, lower the height of house lawn speakers and pay the EPC $50,000 to monitor 10 concerts to assess noise levels once the wall is built.
Clear Channel plans to have the wall built by Sept. 30, 2006. But the EPC has given it until Dec. 31, 2006, to comply. The EPC has agreed not to seek any additional legal action against Clear Channel while modifications are under way and plans to drop the lawsuit all together once all the conditions are met.
If modifications to reduce noise levels are inadequate and concerts continue to violate EPC levels, Clear Channel must come before the EPC to seek a noise variance. There's no guarantee the EPC will grant it, and the commission reserves to right to refile a lawsuit if Clear Channel violates noise levels after all the modifications are in place.