City Council to vote on ‘mosquito alarm’ ban Monday

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council will vote on an ordinance banning mosquito alarms on Monday.

The ordinance was proposed by council member Kate Burke, after years of local business owners using them to drive away loiterers and boost business.

RELATED: City councilwoman looks to ban high-pitched alarms aimed at driving away loiterers

Burke says that they discriminate against young adults and children, suggesting they do not belong downtown.

“To me, that says, ‘We don’t want young kids to be downtown in this area, sitting around’ and I think that downtown is for everyone,” Burke said. “To me, you can’t pick and choose who sits in a public spot. You just, you can’t do that.”

Young adults and children also have more sensitive hearing, and the frequency emitted by the speakers can only be heard by people aged 13 to 25.

Previously, the City Council deferred the vote from December.

RELATED: Spokane City Council defers vote on ‘mosquito alarm’ ban to February

RELATED: Business uses sound to fight crime and dissuade loiterers

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