Worth Township supervisors at Tuesday's meeting made the first move to tweak the township's sound system ordinance.

Earlier this year, the supervisors approved the ordinance, which places time constraints and a permit system on events using sound systems. They did so after many residents complained about excessive and untimely noise from a music festival in 2019.

On Tuesday, three changes were proposed. One would exempt churches from needing a permit, although churches would have to abide by the ordinance's guidelines.

Board chairman Fred Brezel said the churches would have a difficult time keeping up with a constant stream of permits under the current process.

Brezel also asked for a change to the time frame for the permitting process. In its current form, the ordinance requires an application 60 days before the event.

Brezel said this has caused accessibility problems for some smaller businesses and venues.

“The 60-day time period of the ordinance is just too long. I'd like to see it be two weeks,” Brezel said.

Supervisors Gene Reeher and Brian McMurdy agreed, but also brought forth another change, one that had been requested by residents when the original ordinance had been discussed.

The current application allows the applicant to request a special exception to the midnight cutoff when using the equipment. Reeher brought it to the board's attention, and McMurdy agreed that some middle ground had to be met with the changes to which Brezel agreed.

“I don't see any reason why someone should go past midnight,” McMurdy said. “I think we should meet them in the middle on that one.”

The board approved the advertisement of the possible changes at Tuesday's meeting. The advertisement will later appear in the Butler Eagle. The board's next meeting will be Nov. 3.