Noise contretemps end with civility

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John Walker, owner of the Farm, a concert venue and year-round campground near Beaver, addressed Carroll County Quorum Court Monday evening responding to complaints from neighbors about the volume and late hours of previous concerts at the Farm.

Jim Mautte, a nearby neighbor, had spoken at the May 15 meeting about the loud and late amplified music booming over the rural neighborhood, and spoke to the court again about the need for the county to be able to control the noise. He did not want to shut down the concerts but negotiate a reasonable quitting time. One of his neighbors called the concerts a noise nuisance but was confident there could be a peaceful solution. Another neighbor suggested Walker just start the concerts earlier so they could end at midnight.

Walker said he bought the property in 2014 and put on the first three-day concert in 2015. He said he could not stop music at 10 p.m., as one of the neighbors suggested, and remain competitive. He said he received only one complaint after his first event and reached out to neighbors, offering to pay for hotel rooms in town for the weekend for those having problems.

Walker’s business partner Chris Anderson said they do not want to impede on the freedoms of others. They have developed the property since Walker bought it, and now there is year-round camping available, disk golf and trails. He said they intend to be environmentally sensitive, and patrons visit nearby towns to shop and eat.

Nevertheless, there were complaints after a recent event, so Walker said he would try noise cancellation strategies such as putting hay bales under the stage to absorb sound. He will surround the stage with sound walls and put a decibel limit on musicians after midnight. He said, “I just want to get along with our neighbors.”

Justice of the Peace Larry Swofford asked Walker how often his festivals occur, and Walker said he would have three this year and two next year. He also intends to trend toward bluegrass music because he did not hear any complaints about bluegrass.

JP Chuck Olson commented he appreciated Walker’s interest in working toward a solution and trying noise cancellation strategies.

JP Jack Deaton, who lives in Holiday Island, said he was concerned when the Farm first started. However, he has provided EMS support for Walker at events, and he has seen professionally-run, family-friendly events where kids ride their bikes.

Swofford commented a noise ordinance like some are suggesting “would be harder to enforce than a dog ordinance.”

Deaton stated Walker was trying to do the right thing by the neighbors, and he is bringing hundreds of visitors to the county.

Walker said he would shut shows down at 2 a.m., use extra sound baffling after midnight, and is willing to listen to neighbors. He commented there were things he could try before he would shut down his business. “It upsets me that I’m upsetting them,” Walker told the court.

Business of the court

JPs voted to approve the following:

  • an ordinance approving a three-year lease for a grader
  • a clean-up supplemental appropriation ordinance which moved $132.39 from one line item to another
  • another supplemental appropriation ordinance moving $70,037 to pay for repairs to the roof of the eastern courthouse and interior work
  • an ordinance amending the revised vacation schedule which catches some employees who would not have been covered by the first ordinance;
  • a resolution reappointing Pamela Grudek to the Carroll County Equalization Board;
  • a supplemental ordinance moving grant money received to the County Fair

Other items

  • JP Matt Phillips asked if there had been progress toward getting new voting machines, and clerk Jamie Correia said the county reached an agreement to pay half of the total this year and the other half next year, plus the county will get money back on the old machines.
  • Bob Mauser of Ritter Communications told the court his company is interested in expanding its broadband operations and is interested in obtaining a franchise. Swofford told him this information was new to JPs and they needed time to consider it.

Next meeting will be Monday, July 17, at 5 p.m.