WEIRTON — By a 1-6 vote Monday, Weirton Council put the brakes on a proposal which would have amended the city’s noise ordinance.

Council was presented with an ordinance that, if passed, would have modified the existing Ordinance 448, which regulates “disturbing and unnecessary noises” within the city limits under Article 509.08 of the city’s code.

Under the proposal, the ordinance would have changed the wording of a section of the code focused on “Exhaust discharge,” removing language reading “except through a muffler or other device which will effectively permit loud or explosive noises therefrom.”

Ward 6 Councilman Anthony Rocchio made the motion to approve the ordinance’s first reading, and was the lone vote in favor.

While no member of council offered any comments on the proposal, they did hear from some residents who spoke against the measure, many inferring the measure had been developed following complaints at previous council meetings over dirt bikes being ridden in some areas of the city.

Christian Evans was among those addressing council, with the 24-year-old explaining riding the motorcycles has provided him with opportunities to earn a living, travel the country, and meet others. He said, to do so, though, he has to be able to hone his skills and he has been able to do so on local trails and home tracks.

“Just like football and every other sport, I need practice,” he said, adding the motorcycles provide an activity for several area youth and asking council not to do anything which would take it away from them. “It would give us less and less to do.”

Jeff Miller, a resident of Ward 3 where many of the complaints have been focused, said he doesn’t feel the ordinance, as it was written, would have any effect, while also saying other vehicles and machinery have higher noise levels.

“I can hear U.S. 22 from my house,” he said, asking if council would next look at regulating the noise from vehicles on the highway.

He said those involved in racing the dirt bikes aren’t causing damage to any other property, riding only on a track developed in a wooded area by the property owner.

Joe Rosiak, a recent appointment to the Weirton Zoning Board of Appeals, encouraged council to hear from all sides of the issue before taking action.

“I’m just asking everyone to take a second and think about it,” he said, adding he lives near the track in question, and knows the owner, while saying he has heard vehicles being driven on the streets that he feels are louder than the dirt bikes. “At what point is enough, enough?”