NOISE CITATIONS PER YEAR
Citations pertaining to:
Citations for noise violations to the Houston Police Department have been on the rise on Washington Avenue, though some bars saw fewer citations in 2021 than in years past. Data relates to addresses associated with the following bars. The noise problem
Sound disturbing peace No permit for amplifying equipment
Noise vibrations
Disorderly conduct
Ampli ed sound from motorized vehicle
NOTE: 2022 CITATIONS AS OF MARCH 31, 2022
WASHINGTON AVENUE LOUD NOISE UNIT The Houston Police Department has a loud noise unit speci cally to patrol Washington Avenue.
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
38
13
2 patrol cars with overlapping shifts
10
7
8
3
2
2 3
1
NETT ST.
0
0 1
0
0
4 o cers total
CLUTCH BAR 1
STANDARD BAR 2
HEART 3
CENTER ST.
3
1
2
TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE
More than 100 service calls since the start of 2022
93 31 29 20 7
3 25 50 158 81
11 10 80 82 24
L I L I A N
SOURCES: HOUSTON MUNICIPAL COURTS, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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avoid being home while the commo- tion of the bars occurs. “We have nurses that live over here,” Fairchild said. “They can’t work a day shift because they can’t sleep at night.” Fairchild said residents have become so desperate to combat the noise, they have replaced windows, torn out sheet rock to put sound insulating foam in their walls and changed the room they sleep in. Despite the personal mea- sures taken, he said residents tell him they can still feel the bass from the bars’ music in their homes. According to public records obtained by Community Impact Newspaper , HPD hadbeen calledout toWashingtonAve- nuemore than 100 times since the start of the year as of March 22, including for noise complaints as well as other issues such as burglary frommotor vehicles. HPD has a loud-noise unit to patrol Washington, Graham said. Shifts are staggered with one evening shift and one night shift. The units are each a two-person job and have about four to ve hours of overlap. When responding to a service call for noise, o cers use a sound meter to measure the decibels from the res- idential line and physically stand at the property to feel the bass. A citation is only issued if a formal complaint is made and the bar is found to be in vio- lation of the noise ordinance. However, some of the bars make about $10,000 to $20,000 an hour, so even when a bar is issued a citation of $1,000—the current maximum citation fee—it does not serve as an e ective deterrent, Graham said. “If we go out and write four tickets a
establishments within 300 feet of a residential property playing ampli ed sound, which can be heard outdoors during certain hours; a revision requir- ing permits be given to establishments instead of individuals; and revisions to the administrative hearing process for suspension or revocation. Alcorn said she also took bar owners’ feedback into account when crafting the ordinance. In an email, she said under the current noise ordinance, establishments can have permits revoked or suspended if they receive two ormore convictions or enter two or more guilty pleas in a 36-month span. Alcorn said with the newly proposed amendments, the hearing process would allow the a ected business to present a soundmitigationplan 10days before an administrative hearing. If the plan is approved by a hearing o cer, the establishment would be allowed 90 days to implement the plan. The administrative hearing process would be complaint driven, but com- plaints would not be the sole reason for a suspension or revocation of a permit, said Randy Zamora, rst assis- tant city attorney of Houston’s legal department. Kamin and Alcorn said they are also working closelywithHPD, the Houston Fire Department, ParkHouston, the TABC and other agencies. “This has not been an easy task,” Alcorn said at the April 12 meeting. “That is no understatement. We want to protect the right of every Housto- nian to enjoy the peace and comfort of their own home. We also want a robust Houston nightlife.”
day, that’s $4,000,” Graham said. “It’s a drop in the bucket to them. They’ve told us it’s the cost of doing business.” Community Impact Newspaper reached out to several bars identi ed by residents as especially problematic during a March 17 Super Neighborhood No. 22 meeting—including Standard Bar, Clutch Bar and Heart—but did not hear back as of press time. Revisions inprogress Kamin and Alcorn began looking into the noise ordinance in 2020. “We have to do something to ensure the burden is not falling unfairly on neighborhoods and law enforcement,” Kamin said. Under the current ordinance, noise from residential properties from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. should not exceed 65 decibels. From 10:01 p.m.-7:59 a.m., the limit drops down to 58 decibels. The three permits for loud noise that can be purchased from the city are a daily permit that can be used from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; an extended daily per- mit that can be used for multiple dates from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; and an annual permit that is valid throughout the year for Sundays through Thursdays from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Fridays and Satur- days from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. During those times, decibels can measure up to 75, according to the ordinance. During an April 12 meeting of Hous- ton’s Regulatory and Neighborhood A airs Committee, the following pro- posed amendments were announced: an increase in the maximum ne from $1,000 to $2,000; the requirement of a new permit for all commercial
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Team’s Heights unit. “Our calls for service regarding Washington Avenue for loud noise is just a constant issue out here,” Graham said in an interview. “I know the citi- zens are beyond fed up with it because I get all their emails.” In response, two members of the Houston City Council, Abbie Kamin and Sallie Alcorn, are proposing amendments to the city’s noise ordi- nance they said they hope will work for residents and businesses alike. The Council is set to vote on the amend- ments at a May 4 meeting. Kamin, who represents District C, which covers the area, said her o ce hears repeated complaints from res- idents as well. At the same time, she said she believes most bars along Washington are following the rules. “District C is home to some of our city’s favorite bars and nightlife spots,” Kamin said in an email. “In addition to being important economic drivers, a vast majority are outstanding com- munity partners and great neighbors. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a few bad-actor bars.” Thebar issue Residents of Rice Military said they have to deal with the noise fromWash- ington Avenue bars every week start- ing onWednesday nights. In an interview, Mark Fairchild, president of the Rice Military Civic Club, said the noise issue has become so terrible for some of his residents, they have changed their work hours to
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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