Update: According to Karen Pan, St. Johns County spokeswoman, the county commissioners decided to send the noise ordinance back to county staff for revisions after hearing from many concerned residents.

Staff members will makes changes to the ordinance and the commissioners will have to hold another public hearing before they can vote to enact it. Pan said it probably will be another month before that happens.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla -- When you think about noise ordinances, car stereos and loud bars may come to mind.

But St. Augustine's Deborah Warrick said an ordinance St. Johns County Commissioners are talking about is focused on silencing her pet lion.

"He's a little grumpy right now because his food is close by," she said.

Translation: He wasn't ready to roar for us and the camera today.

However, she said a group of neighbors has been complaining about his roar since 2008.

"He will roar, sometimes at night, but it never lasts more than 30 seconds," she told First Coast News.

Warrick runs the St. Augustine Wild Reserve. It's an exotic animal rescue mission that has dozens of abandoned tigers, panthers, wolves and even a couple of lions.

She moved the animals here in 2000.

"And I was by the book," she said. "I told everyone I was moving in. I am properly licensed. I run a clean operation."

We stopped by her neighbor's house, but the "no trespassing" sign prevented us from knocking on the door.

We did call the neighbor, who told First Coast News he didn't like the noisy lion, but hung up before giving another comment.

He said he would be at the meeting being held Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. to discuss the issue, and that we could talk then.

Warrick says the ordinance doesn't worry her.

It said animals who make noise for a period of 30 minutes would be in violation.

"Mufasa's roar lasts about 30 seconds," she insisted.

But she's worried she's being unfairly singled out. A provision in the ordinance says public zoos and for-profit animal attractions are exempt from citation.

"But I am a non-profit," she said. "I think it's clear they are trying to come after me."

Her non-profit status would make her subject to fines.

A spokesperson from St. Johns County said they are not picking on anyone, and the last thing they want to do is write a ton of tickets.

Nonetheless, Warrick said she's being threatened, but told us she's ready for a cat fight.

"I know my rights and I'm staying here; I like it here."

The final hearing for the ordinance will be held in the St. Johns County Commission chambers at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

First Coast News