Murphy – An overflow crowd at the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night heard a handful of speakers mostly opposed to a proposed noise ordinance sparked by crypto mining operations, but which critics say could have unintended – and possibly undesirable – consequences.
Following public comment and the board’s own discussion, the board voted 4-1 to kill the draft noise ordinance, with Commissioner Jan Griggs casting the lone vote in opposition. Griggs followed up with a motion of her own, for the county to continue to look for a solution to the crypto mining noise issue. Her motion passed unanimously.
Board Chairman Cal Stiles opened the meeting by admonishing the crowd to remain civil. The public comment period of the meeting was limited strictly to the crypto mining issue. Seven people spoke, with six against the proposed law.
Speakers worried about getting $500 fines for a range of common activities in Cherokee County, from target practicing and hunting to shade tree car repairs and running leaf blowers. One speaker even worried whether church services at night would violate the noise ordinance.
Some worried about being shut down until they have their day in court – a lengthy process that could take months or years.
“Where does it end?” one speaker asked. “Our rights are being taken away a little bit at a time.”
Max Norton, a radio station engineer, said the radio station’s own generator would violate the proposed ordinance.
John Worden said he moved to Cherokee County because he sought the freedom it provides. He doesn’t oppose efforts to restrict crypto mining operations and said the county should put its focus there.
Dori Mitchen was the only speaker who supported the noise ordinance, saying the “roar of crypto-mining” has disrupted her life and left her feeling disenfranchised by her local government.
“Do we want crypto mines all over the county? They’re going to come everywhere, they can do it,” she said.
Like Peterson, she said the county needs to focus on the crypto-mining industry.
Therein lies the rub. County officials say they can’t target a specific industry for noise violations, but instead must craft a law that deals with noisy operations like crypto mining.
Commissioner Jan Griggs said the board serves a population of more than 29,000 and has to find a “happy medium” that will address crypto mining.
“No matter what we do here, people in this county are not going to be happy,” she said.
She said there are crypto mining operations that sound like a jet engine running around the clock.
Any law the board passes would only affect property in unincorporated areas – that means Murphy, Andrews, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians land and federal land would be unaffected. The law would also not apply to pre-existing operations, although those operations would not be allowed to expand.
The $500 fine is governed by state statute, which Cherokee County must follow if it enacts a noise ordinance.
She said the proposed noise ordinance would only apply to operations with two machines or more.
While staying away from zoning, an unpopular concept in Cherokee County, she said there does need to be something to prevent high-impact land use to protect property owners against encroachment by such things as gravel mining, chemical plants and nuclear waste disposal – all of which could happen in the county under its present structure.
Commissioner Randy Phillips noted that crypto mining stock prices are dropping and wondered how long the industry would be sustainable.