Leesburg, VA (February 3, 2026) – The Leesburg Town Council will hold a discussion on potential changes to the noise ordinance for amplified outdoor music at its Monday, February 9, work session, which begins at 7 p.m. in Town Hall Council Chamber (25 West Market Street).
Last year, the Council directed staff to retain a consultant to make recommendations related to appropriate decibel levels and testing processes for the section of the Town Code that governs amplified outdoor music. The Town retained an experienced sound consulting firm, Shen, Milsom & Wilke, which performed acoustic studies at four downtown businesses, as well as a demonstration on the Town Green.
As a reminder, staff has proposed amending the regulation of amplified outdoor music in the following ways:
- Amplified outdoor music would only be allowed at commercial and business establishments or special events with an approved Amplified Outdoor Music Permit issued by the Town. The permits will be of a one-year duration. Non-commercial applicants may also seek single-event permit, subject to the same limitations with respect to volume and hours.
- A specific decibel limit would replace the subjective “plainly audible” standard. The Town would measure compliance using a decibel meter of its choosing.
- The permit would specify a location from which sound would be measured in the event of a complaint, which would provide both an incentive for the venue to pre-test sound levels for compliance as well as certainty for measurement by Town enforcement staff.
These recommendations, along with results from the studies performed by the consultant, will be discussed at the Council work session. Any changes to the Town Code regarding amplified outdoor music would be subject to a public hearing and vote by the Town Council at a future business meeting.
The public can view recent sound study reports and more information at www.leesburgva.gov/outdoormusic.
The agenda packet for the February 9-10 Council meetings will be posted by close of business Wednesday, February 4, and can be found at www.leesburgva.gov/councildocuments.
Media Contact:
Kara Rodriguez, Public Information Officer
pio@leesburgva.gov
703-669-1425
