City Taking Legal Action Over Musicians in Park
City Taking Legal Action Over Musicians In Park
Legal action is being sought against a group of musicians for “unauthorized activities” at West Park Sunday, City Administrator Guy C. Larcom Jr. told the City Council last night.
Larcom said the musicians were playing at the West Park bandshell without a permit from the Parks Department. "We are endeavoring to and are taking legal action."
City Hall for the past two weeks has been deluged with complaints regarding the bands playing at West Park on Sunday afternoons.
In addition to the proposed
legal action, Larcom said he plans to present to council next week an ordinance amendment which would prohibit the use of electronic musical instruments in city parks. Also, the ordinance would specify that the noise made by a group of musicians shall not exceed the decibel limit embodied in the city’s noise ordinance, and that parks shall not be used by bands without written permission of the Parks Department.
“If this ordinance is approved by council and the city attorney, it might help reduce or eliminate the nuisance,” Larcom said.
City Attorney Peter W. Forsythe commented that the ordinance would be “singling out this particular type of noise problem” and a certain segment of the community would object. He added, however,
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that “normal residential uses and this sound appear to be incompatible.”
Fifth Ward Councilman Brian R. Connelly commented that a band which played at the Street Art Fair caused problems on second and third floor offices in the area where work was disrupted. He said he had also received a petition signed by 15 residents asking that the Hullabaloo, a teenage night; club, be closed because of the noise.
“I ran teen-age night clubs as a disc jockey for more than four years,” Connelly commented. “We solved the noise problem by holding the dances far out in the country where no one would be disturbed.”
Larcom said if there is further unauthorized playing at West Park next Sunday “there will be further police action taken.” Councilmen asked the city administration to conduct a study to determine if there are other locations for the bands which could be used without disturbing area residents.