Save the Nutty Brown Cafe!!!! Shame on Belterra!!!! (Converse, Miles: condos, house)

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by iceshots

You can send emails of support to the owner.

Please e-mail Mike Farr at bigdaddyfarr@yahoo.com.

He is collecting emails to pass on to the TABC. I think support coming out of Belterra will carry more weight than those of us out of earshot.

Yes, I can't imagine that TABC or any judge would care one iota about the opinions of anyone who doesn't live nearby. I also can't imagine TABC shutting a business down if the noise levels are within commonly accepted standards, which it sounds like they are.

[iceshots]

KXAN did a bit on the Nutty Brown issue last night. They also have it written up on their web site.

TABC watches noise at Nutty Brown | KXAN.com

The TABC is witholding their new license until they look into the matter. The Nutty Brown is currently working from a temporary license.

I recommend reading through the comments on the page. There are some posted by people who are opposed to the Nutty Brown. It explains their side of the discussion. Not all people complaining are from Belterra. Some have been in teh area for quite a while, even before the Nutty Brown opened.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by iceshots

KXAN did a bit on the Nutty Brown issue last night. They also have it written up on their web site.

TABC watches noise at Nutty Brown | KXAN.com

The TABC is witholding their new license until they look into the matter. The Nutty Brown is currently working from a temporary license.

I recommend reading through the comments on the page. There are some posted by people who are opposed to the Nutty Brown. It explains their side of the discussion. Not all people complaining are from Belterra. Some have been in teh area for quite a while, even before the Nutty Brown opened.

Thanks for that link. It is good to get both sides of the story.

[satxguero]

Per Channel 7's story on their website-the complaints are being registered by 30 residents in Belterra, Heritage Oaks and Ledgestone communities.

Some Ask TABC to Close Nutty Brown Café (http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/news/local/101909_Some_Ask_TABC_to_Close_Nutty_Brown_Cafe - broken link)

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by satxguero

Per Channel 7's story on their website-the complaints are being registered by 30 residents in Belterra, Heritage Oaks and Ledgestone communities.

Some Ask TABC to Close Nutty Brown Café (http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/news/local/101909_Some_Ask_TABC_to_Close_Nutty_Brown_Cafe - broken link)

This is more evidence to me that a decibel limit of 85 at the property line for outdoor music venues is too high. You would not have all these people complaining if it were tolerable.

It is interesting to note too that this larger raised outdoor stage has only been there since 2003 and neighbors noted that it made the noise problems significantly worse.

Note this webpage about hearing loss says

If a sound reaches 85 dB or stronger, it can cause permanent damage to your hearing.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm

[TexasHorseLady]

So, we have people who live near Nutty Brown (in the communities that are mentioned) who say that the noise is not a problem. Then we have people saying it rattles their windows. And we have the law enforcement officers coming out and testing with their equipment and saying that the venue is within the legal limits, so the complainants, since they can't legally get it shut down that way, turn to the TABC to try an end run. Wonder which ones I'm more likely to take seriously?

Here's a thought - when someone from one of these communities calls in a complaint, have the law enforcement officer come out to their place, not the venue, and do the decibel test. It would be interesting to see what turns up then.

Or, heck, have them go out on an evening when the music is playing to the homes of ALL of the complainants who've filed with TABC and do a test (without letting anyone know in advance which evening it's going to be, of course, so that the music won't be turned down for the test - see, I can see in advance what the excuse is likely to be if the decibel readings don't support the complaints this way, either).

By the way, windows rattling? Our windows are rattled, too, by Fort Hood when they do artillery practice. (No, we haven't asked them to cease and desist artillery practice or close Fort Hood.) We live about 40 miles as the crow flies from Fort Hood and couldn't possibly have known that this would be the case, unlike those who purchase/build near a known venue that they have to drive past to get to their subdivision. It has something to do with underground caverns, I've been told, carrying the noise. We simply live with the occasional days of "boom rattle rattle rattle" (sounds like thunder except not). Wouldn't occur to us to do otherwise; after all, they were here first, and we purchased in our new community after doing the best due diligence we could and then realizing that there would be things we missed and if there were, the responsibility was on us to adjust rather than on those who had been there before us, some for generations. Doesn't seem all that novel a concept to me - to do otherwise is somewhat akin to going into someone's house and complaining about how their furniture is arranged and insisting that they change it to suit you.

[Trainwreck20]

This is more evidence to me that a decibel limit of 85 at the property line for outdoor music venues is too high.

Or it is possible that the property line limit, where it is actually measured, does not reflect the level of sound at other locations. It could easily be that the sound from the NB is being funnelled in a particular direction and above the property line. With all the varied terrain out there, this really isn't really much of a stretch. Or it could be that they are not measuring the loudest point at the property line, either, but a quieter location.

THL makes a good point, though, in that the statue with standing is the one that deals with the level of sound at the complaintant. Go out and measure the level of sound there.

[paul6835]

30 residents complaining is an awful lot for an area that isn't that densely populated. If it was a 4 or 5 people that'd be one thing, but 30 people is more than a "handful". This guy can't turn it down a little? The "get some ear plugs" sign makes him out to be a bit of a jerk. If this was my place, I'd be looking to put up some noise abatement barriers or at least meeting with community members to figure out how I could be a good neighbor.

[TexasHorseLady]

Belterra is a subdivision of I believe about 1600 acres with a few hundred homes. The houses are as close together as any subdivision with houses in its price range. I wouldn't call that not "densely populated" for this situation.

[iceshots]

Sound is strange out in this area of Dripping Springs. Especially on a clear night sound carries a long way. I live about 1 mile from 290 and depending on the night, the traffic noise can be either barely audible, or it sounds like its right next door. You can hear a siren for a good 5 - 10 minutes as it comes down 290 and up a side street somewhere. I can easily believe that the sounds from Nutty Brown would carry quite far and ruin someone's enjoyment of the "quite countryside". But I doubt the music would break any decibel level restrictions.

It will come down to whether people enjoy hearing the music, or if they only want to hear silence.

I also agree that some kind of noise barriers could probably be set up. The big stage is quite high and the sound from the speakers would go right over the existing fencing. I wonder if there is some kind of noise baffle that could be hoisted up on a set of poles on concert nights.

I am going to have to make a point of driving around this weekend and see what I hear in different locations.