ORANGE BEACH — An hour-long discussion about yet another change in the Amber Isle planned unit development on Orange Beach’s westernmost reaches revealed one thing for certain:

The city is about to enact some tough rules regarding noise.

Well, actually two things were revealed. The second being there will be no outside live music at said Amber Isle complex now or likely ever. At least as long as long-time resident and Amber Isle beach road neighbor Cecil Young, 87, is alive.

“And I plan on living another 20 years,” Young told the city council. “I’ve told y’all time and time again I’m an old man and I don’t want any noise. And I’m going to live in peace and quiet. Am I wrong to ask for peace and quiet the rest of my life?”

Bob Baumhower, who has operated at least five restaurants in the city over the years, made an appeal to the council to add decking to an existing but as yet unused restaurant building. It is the north side of beach road on the last lot in Orange Beach before the start of Gulf State Park.

“I thought maybe I could come in here and make a good sale and get some things changed,” Baumhower told the council. “If that’s the way it is then that’s the way it is.”

Councilman Jerry Johnson and several of the council members acknowledged Baumhower’s good standing as a business operator in the city and his community involvement in youth sports and storm recovery efforts.

“Your track record speaks for itself and you’ve done well with all your concepts,” Councilman Jerry Johnson said. “But they’ve all been in entertainment districts and not a neighborhood. My issue, even with a one-person (band), is the noise.”

Which is something residents on the westernmost edge of Orange Beach directly south of the Bimini Bob’s location were promised they would never have to deal with.

“Once again I’m here asking you to help me protect my home,” Linda Bradley, one of those residents, told the council. “It has to do with outdoor dining noise and outdoor music. I ask that you keep this plan in place.”

In the end, Kennon said, it came down to our word.

“Bob, you’re caught up in the history of something that has been going on since 2004 with this particular development,” Kennon said. “We have to respect the agreement and the rules we made.

“I hate it’s you because you have done so much for our community.”

In the end the council voted down the proposed PUD changes 6-0.

“This has a history and we have said ‘no’ for a reason,” Johnson added.

As for dealing with future noise everywhere in the city, several members of the council and City Attorney Wanda Cochran said changes are coming.

“The new noise ordinance, it has not been adopted yet, but I believe it will obviate all of the concerns about noise,” Cochran said. “Because if it works then the focus is not going to be on zoning but on this special outdoor music permit which can be pulled if there are violations.”

Councilwoman Annette Mitchell said the new rules will apply to any business hoping to be an outdoor music venue.

“This is a whole different ball game,” Mitchell said. “We have a very stringent noise ordinance coming down the pike. There will be no disturbing of the neighbors.

“The teeth was put into the ordinance by the problems we’ve had up to this point and several neighborhoods. We are not willing to disturb neighborhoods for commercial ventures.”

Kennon said city staffers have been looking at how similar resort towns handle noise issues and Orange Beach is close to enacting the new ordinance.

“We’ve bought the equipment to enforce it this time and we are going to enforce it,” Kennon said. “Once the process of permitting of it is there, we don’t have to put up with anything. Once we pull that permit there’s no music.

“We feel like the ordinance is able to compress that sound to where it’s enjoyable and reasonable on site, but not to the neighbors. These are the rules, abide by them or not.”