Hi, all.
Just so you know, I wrote to the few people who were part of a Bowstring conversion on the main listserv yesterday and gave them the link to join us here.
I also talked to Officer Earle (or Earls, don’t know which) at about 5 pm today. Evidently he went over and spoke to the owner at Bowstring who encouraged any of us who want to to come meet with him and talk to him about the situation. Officer Earls let him know that he would be susceptible to citations even today if complaints continued. The officer did not have a decibel meter so with the music being played during reasonable hours he did not issue a citation. Lauren points out that she believes the decibel requirement to no longer be applicable in the new noise ordinance and that instead there is a distance (300 fit during the day and 150 ft at night) at which noise should not be 'plainly audible'. Evidently she and I (on the corner of Midwood and Dennis) are 3600 fit away. Perhaps this officer, who I presume has not been involved in the situation before, does not understand this.
The officer said that he escalated it to his supervisor, and to the city and police attorneys. The owner was seeking information about what kinds of exemptions he has that would help him stay legal, and the officer pointed him to the attorneys, saying that the question was out of his own pay grade.
I don't know who the owner is and the officer couldn't tell me his name as a matter of policy. The officer did tell me that the owner told him that he had been handing out flyers with his contact information on it. I'm not interested in going over there during a concert and just asking around for him but I would potentially consider reaching out if there was another way to do so. Anyway, I'm considering how much I feel like spending my time on anything other than just calling the non-emergency police line.
I'd be happy to hear what others are up for.
Krista
Midwood & Dennis