A group of residents who live near the clock tower at the Grand Traverse County courthouse are petitioning to have the bell's ringing hours reduced. Roughly 45 homeowners - many of them on nearby Midtown Drive, Washington Street and Webster Stereet - signed the petition asking county commissioners to cut back on bell ringing at the tower. 

"Presently the bell tower rings on the hour and half hour from 6am until midnight," the petition states. "The early morning and late night ringing can be disruptive for a good eight hours of sleep. (We are) in favor of having the bell tower bell ring from 9am until 9pm daily."

The historic bell tower had sat silent since 2008 due to disrepair until a citizen-led group raised funds earlier this year to fix the structure. Petitioners will present their request to cut back on ringing hours to county commissioners Wednesday at 6pm at the Governmental Center.