diamondD, I showed those houses on Vickie St as recent as several months ago. They were unoccupied. They are currently available for rent. I understand what you are saying about the potential for someone going to look at the house in the day time, or while the restaurant/bar was not in operation, then buying or renting it, not knowing the potential. That is why it is important to have a good Realtor to point out those kinds of potential. I've also shown the cheaply priced lot on Vickie St, adjacent to Cafe Tango, and directly behind the back porch of Salty Dog. Even if Salty Dog was another Cafe Tango type restaurant, anyone considering purchasing that property to build their home, would have to think about the worst possibility in the future. Surely, they could recognize the potential for the owners to sell or change the type of commercial biz to a late night bar. I can sympathize with the people in the neighborhood would want peace and quite, and I do believe there should be some expectation of their right to enjoyment of low noise. However, I have to ask what they were thinking when they purchased in a neighborhood which has commercial restaurant/bars type properties as part of the neighborhood. Those people didn't seem to make much of a voice when, about six months ago, another property owner and his mother, owning on 30A, in that sub-division, applied for a zoning change for their two lots, allowing for mixed-use. They were granted the request. The applicant noted the other commercial uses along 30A in that specific area, and stated that 30A was a transitional buffer from the residential properties behind it. I believe there were three people who spoke in opposition, and there didn't appear to be others in opposition in the audience from what I could tell.
gayboi, I believe I read that the person who was charged with aggravated assault with attempted felony, was trying to stab Stan (the manager) after being told that he couldn't smoke inside. That sounds like a completely different issue than the noise, just coincidentally at the same time all this other crap is going down.
From my observations, I don't know Stan that well, but I see him around town fairly often, and I've always enjoyed talking with him. He is always very level-headed, and very calm-natured. I really cannot see him raising the music volume after being asked to hold it down via a phone call from neighbors (as was reported in the news). It isn't his nature. I have personally seen Stan with his noise meter and clipboard, going out to the property boundary of Salty Dog, to record noise volume. When I asked what he was doing, he said it was a proactive measure which he chose to do, after hearing complaints of noise from neighbors. He said that he checked the volume regularly (maybe every 30 minutes or hour, I cannot recall) and kept a log of it. I was at the Old Salty Dog during one night of the Blueground Undergrass show. It is from one of those nights that Stan (the manager) had a warrant due to noise violation. I can say that the music was loud inside, but from outside, I really couldn't hear it. I believe the noise is coming, not from the music, but from the people who sit outside on the deck. (the only place people are allowed to smoke.) I can say this, from the deck outside, I cannot hear the music being played inside. The back deck used to be open on the side facing Vicki St. Since the complaints, they have changed that. I can understand if the music is too loud, because that is something which can be adjusted by turning a knob or two. However, that isn't the issue, as I understand it. I cannot understand how the Manager could be arrested because individual people on the deck are loud. The manager has no knobs to turn, to quieten them. It would be laughable at best for the mgr to ask bar patrons to be quiet while they smoke outside.
I thought it was a great place for locals to get some food and beverages for a reasonable price. And darn good food too. There has got to be a way to work out the noise issue so that Salty's can open again. Maybe try to close earlier or turn down the speakers for the bands. I've been in there several times with bands playing and you can't even barely hear the person next to you! I don't mean to step on anyone's toes,just trying to get everyone to see all sides of the situation. And for crying out loud CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG
I agree Dave. It is just that simple,or so it seems that it would be. Please open Salty's back up,for the locals. We had such grayt times there! And i'll be able to get my hubby out of the house more!