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Dallas council preserves Millie’s late‑night permit after debate; adds restriction on subwoofers
Summary
After contentious public testimony from neighbors and supporters, the City Council voted to retain a late‑night specific use permit for Millie (a Lower Greenville nightclub) and approved a condition prohibiting use of subwoofer speakers.
The City Council on Sept. 10 voted to retain the late‑night specific use permit (SUP) for Millie, a nightclub on Lower Greenville, while adopting a new condition banning subwoofer speakers.
Why it mattered: The issue drew long public comment and a divided council after neighborhood residents said noise, queuing and late‑night activity produced ongoing quality‑of‑life impacts. Supporters — including regular patrons, employees and the operator — said Millie had taken steps to reduce noise and improve operations and that revocation would damage neighborhood vibrancy and local business.
What the council decided: Following an authorized hearing initiated by the City Plan Commission, council considered competing motions: one recommended by CPC to repeal the SUP; another (moved by Councilmember Basildua and amended on the floor) to not follow CPC and instead retain the SUP. The final council action maintained Millie’s late‑night SUP and added a condition prohibiting subwoofer speakers; council discussion made clear the body expects continued compliance with noise and public‑safety conditions.
Public testimony: Opponents included several residents who said the nightclub’s music vibration and crowds had disturbed sleep and property enjoyment. Michael Neuse, president of the Hope Terrace homeowners association, told council Millie’s music “vibrates our walls and floors and disturbs our sleep, oftentimes until 1 or 2 in the morning.” Several speakers said they had moved away because of ongoing issues.
Supporters included employees, DJs and nearby property owners who said Millie had invested in sound‑proofing, removed subwoofers, installed ceiling sound panels and conducted sound testing with adjacent residents. General manager Joshua Back said the operator closed windows, added bass-capturing panels and runs a four‑guard security plan during late hours.
Enforcement and evidence: Code compliance representatives told council the city had visited the property dozens of times since mid‑2024 and issued two noise notices in early 2022; subsequent proactive visits found no violations. Council members debated whether frequent citizen complaints amounted to a policy reason to revoke the SUP when citations or arrests were not documented.
What's next: Council action preserves the SUP subject to the newly adopted condition banning subwoofer equipment and leaves existing SUP monitoring and code compliance processes in place. Council members urged continued communication among the operator, adjacent residents and code enforcement. Any future significant complaints could trigger an authorized hearing to reconsider the SUP.
Ending: The decision balances neighborhood concerns with the council’s interest in preserving entertainment businesses; it also adds a narrowly targeted equipment restriction the council said will help reduce low‑frequency noise.
