The day the music died (Houston, Dallas: house, scorpions, school)

[jobert]

Newborns can be a handful. I bet the woman just lost her s*** and called the cops because she couldn't handle it. Babies will cry, but you can't point a finger. I have been at weddings with a newborn while a DJ threw down a live episode of Soul Train, and the kid slept right through it - so I don't buy the "Shady Grove made my kid cranky" bs for one minute.
The lady freaked out like all moms do at some point, and now that it's after the fact - I bet she's experiencing remorse for what she did to this city.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by iceshots

We looked at a few houses around Nutty Brown and have friends that live a couple of miles up the road off 290. One of my main questions (not concerns) was how loud Nutty Brown would be specially on a weekend. Our friends say they can hear the music occasionally and they like it.

He also said that one neighbor who lives closer to 290 was "complaining" about the "noise" one time. He warned her not to talk about hearing a free concert or the Nutty Brown would start charging her a cover charge!

While hearing a free concert may be nice now and then, a continuous serving can be annoying, especially if it is not the type of music you like. However, if it was already there when you moved it, TOO BAD. You should not have moved to that location without checking things out.

This is the same thing as city folk moving to the new subdivision in the country, then complaining about the pig farm that has been in operation for 100 years.

I can easily see Nutty Brown coming under pressure from the people in Belterra. Especially when they start that new section on the east side of Nutty Brown Road, just behind the cafe. I hope it does not come to that.

Exactly. If you don't want a steady diet of live music then don't move somewhere where live music is being played outside.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by car957

I also want to know when the variance hearing will be held. This is one of the jewels in the crown that makes Austin our home.

I wish I were living there--I would attend the hearing in support of live music outdoors. You said it---It is one of the jewels in the crown that makes Austin GREAT!

[love roses]

Originally Posted by atxcio

The thing is, it has nothing to do with disturbing a newborn's sleep. The ordinance is specifically targeted at shutting down clubs and driving out the young professionals/transplants that frequent them. 75dB is much quieter than most road noise, yard equipment, and even loud conversations. Slamming a door or cabinet in an adjacent apartment would be louder. The construction going on for the condos on Barton Springs Rd is much louder. And all those things are not prohibited... only the music is being targeted.

Here's a chart that shows where 75dB falls in comparison to other sounds:
Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart

A little louder than quiet conversation, but quieter than a telephone dialtone.

That's just insane!

[mimimomx3]

What a wimpy mother. Babies can- and do- sleep through ANYTHING. Here's a BIG TIP: moving to that intersection is going to be LOUD. What, is she going to call Bergstrom and ask that no more planes fly over her house???? I'd looooove to be her next door neighbor.

[iceshots]

I'll bet the baby's crying was a higher decibel level than the music.

Where do they measure the decibel level? Within the venue itself, or a specific distance from the venue?

[CptnRn]

That neighborhood was residential long before the clubs started moving in. The clubs started out as nice peaceful restaurants and only later started adding live music, performing outdoors and making lives miserable for the residents that lived there long before the clubs showed up.

Residential uses are far more appropriate for that area of town, it lacks the space and parking facilities for the clubs. In my opinion the clubs need to move someplace more appropriate.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by iceshots

I'll bet the baby's crying was a higher decibel level than the music.

Where do they measure the decibel level? Within the venue itself, or a specific distance from the venue?

It's measured at the property line. Keep in mind that residences can make any kind of noise up to 85dB from 10AM to 10PM. And that's potentially with 3 or more other residences backing up directly to your property line! Yet the Shady Grove, with no adjacent residences (well, except the trailer park), can't exceed 70dB. So why is the police department enforcing a standard on restaurants that can be legally be exceeded by any nearly other entity?

Make no mistake, it's nothing to do with protecting people from nuisance noise or hearing loss. It's about shutting down certain music venues. Sure, they can apply for a music venue status and get back up to that 85dB limit.. but guess who is going to be in charge of granting those? Who will be showing up to lobby the council not to grant the variance? The process is there to specifically to hurt venues like Shady Grove and Freddy's, but it's disguised as trying to help.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

That neighborhood was residential long before the clubs started moving in. The clubs started out as nice peaceful restaurants and only later started adding live music, performing outdoors and making lives miserable for the residents that lived there long before the clubs showed up.

Residential uses are far more appropriate for that area of town, it lacks the space and parking facilities for the clubs. In my opinion the clubs need to move someplace more appropriate.

The article said that they have had the unplugged music series for 16 years.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

The article said that they have had the unplugged music series for 16 years.

The land the Shady Grove is on was residential before the restaruant opened up there, as is/was all the land around it. The music series there has continued to grow and become more disruptive of what used to be a quiet little neighborhood.