Earlier this year it looked like a measure pushed by some Ward 6 residents to impose volume limits on protests in residential neighborhoods was destined for failure. As we briefly mentioned yesterday, though, the D.C. Council endorsed an amended version of the legislation.

According to the City Paper’s Mike DeBonis, who closely followed the debate, yesterday saw some back and forth on the legislation, which was originally sponsored and pushed by Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6). In a morning debate, Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), who had originally moved to table the legislation (thus provoking noisy protests outside his Georgetown home), proposed a number of amendments that would have allowed protests outside hotels in residential areas (as a way to appease unions who would like to protest there), changed the way volume would be measured, and put responsibility for the law’s enforcement on the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs instead of the police.

While those amendments failed, changes proposed by Council member Kwame Brown (D-At Large), along with the full legislation, passed 8-5 during an afternoon debate. The revised version of the legislation now puts a 70 decibel cap on protests in residential neighborhoods and an 80 decibel cap on protests downtown, though protests in commercial areas are allowed 10 decibels of wiggle-room above ambient noise.

Of course, nothing becomes law until its second reading, which is set for next month. Evans, the only real naysayer of the legislation, has gotten plenty of heat for his determined opposition, so it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll step in at the last minute and try to kill it. If he does, we’re predicting a long and noisy summer for him and his family.