STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
The Cave City City Council has agreed to form a special committee to help mediate growing tensions between residents and businesses in and around the city’s entertainment district, following complaints about late-night noise after a recent change to the city’s noise ordinance.
At its January meeting, the council amended the ordinance for accredited businesses within the entertainment district to allow music until midnight rather than 10 p.m., a shift that prompted resident Greg Hogan to bring concerns before the council.
“It’s always been a quiet neighborhood, up until a few months ago,” Hogan said. “It’s pretty aggravating to live right across the street from a bar that plays music loud enough to where you’re hearing a thump, thump, thump for two hours.”
Hogan told council members that he had measured the noise inside his home at 55 decibels and warned that the late-night music was interfering with residents’ ability to sleep. He also cited information from the Mayo Clinic about the health effects of prolonged sleep disruption.
Hogan also presented a petition signed by 25 residents along Mammoth Cave Street and Grinstead Mill Road who oppose extending the district’s noise allowance to midnight.
Councilman Andrew Bagshaw asked how often the ordinance had been enforced since the change. Police Chief Paul Reynolds responded that only one citation had been issued so far, explaining that officer discretion plays a role in whether a ticket is written.
“If you can just barely hear it standing outside, to me it’s not a problem,” Reynolds said. “But now, if you’re standing outside and it’s really thumping.”
Reynolds added that in the first few instances, officers issued warnings rather than citations to businesses.
Several council members noted that the conflict reflects the way the entertainment district is situated within the city’s zoning framework. Councilwoman Leticia Cline said the district sits between two zoning classifications with very different expectations.
“We added an EDC in the middle of two zones,” Cline said. “So we have B-2, which is more residential, whereas a B-1 is a central business district.”
Cline suggested that a compromise could be found by keeping the midnight allowance while attaching measurable standards to it.
“One of them is to allow till midnight but only with enforceable conditions, like a decibel cap at the property line that’s measured and not subjective,” she said. Cline ultimately abstained from the first reading vote and made little comment after, as she is a business owner within the district.
Matt Stasel, owner of Roxglass, disputed claims that music was being played into the early morning hours.
“I have to close at midnight,” Stasel said.
Unable to resolve the dispute during the meeting, Mayor Dwayne Hatcher proposed creating a three-person committee made up of one resident, one council member, and one police officer to meet with business owners and seek a middle ground.
The council approved the first reading of the noise ordinance as written, but retains the ability to amend it before the second reading based on the committee’s recommendations.
Hatcher appointed Councilman Ronald Coffey to chair the committee, which is expected to present its findings at the council’s March meeting.
Key facts
– Cave City council may extend music hours in the entertainment district from 10 p.m. to midnight
– Resident Greg Hogan and 25 petition signers say late-night noise is disrupting sleep
– Police Chief Paul Reynolds says only one citation has been issued since the change
– Council members say the entertainment district sits between differing zoning areas
– Council created a three-person committee to mediate between residents and businesses
– Committee will report recommendations before the ordinance’s second reading in March
Gage Wilson for Glasgow News 1 contributed to this story.
