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Residents press town to tighten outdoor‑entertainment rules and measurement methods after repeated noise complaints
Summary
Residents and councilors urged New Shoreham leaders to revise the town’s noise and outdoor‑entertainment rules, citing persistent low‑frequency bass and vibration problems that standard A‑weighted decibel readings miss. Police and officials said they will pursue certified meters and further study ordinance changes.
Residents, business owners and town officials spent an extended portion of the work session discussing noise from downtown venues and outdoor entertainment, focusing on reports that low‑frequency bass and vibration travel farther and cause substantial disturbance even when traditional decibel readings fall within the existing ordinance limits.
Police leadership said the town will have at least one certified operator and certified equipment available this summer. “I read through the ordinance about 14 different times, and there's nothing in it that said that you need to have a certified operator,” the department head said, and added that he will obtain certification and train additional operators so the town can use measurement tools consistently.
Why it matters: Several residents described repeated sleep disruption, business impacts and vibrations that felt like physical shaking. Speakers and outside experts referenced in the meeting said A‑weighted decibel measurements alone do not capture low‑frequency energy (bass) and vibration; they recommended C‑weighted measurements and additional mitigation measures.
Main points of the discussion and proposed changes
- Measurement method and location: Residents and experts urged measuring at a fixed public location (for example, the sidewalk or property line nearest the venue) rather than only at the complainant’s interior property line, and using both A‑weighted and C‑weighted readings to capture subwoofer and bass energy.
- Equipment certification and third‑party testing: The police chief said the town’s meter was recertified and that staff will take a Rutgers training course; residents proposed requiring periodic third‑party acoustical inspections for venues and adopting a requirement that venues install approved, house‑calibrated sound systems set by an acoustical engineer.
- Restrictions on bass and speaker types: Multiple residents asked the town to prohibit or limit subwoofers and omnidirectional “pool‑noodle” style speakers and to require directional (box) speakers oriented toward the building. In other jurisdictions discussed, towns set limits on low‑frequency content and required house audio systems tuned by a certified engineer.
- Licensing, limits and enforcement: Speakers proposed reducing permitted hours for outdoor amplified entertainment, limiting the number of active outdoor entertainment licenses in concentrated downtown areas, implementing a graduated penalty system (written warning, suspension, revocation), and requiring businesses to demonstrate mitigation (speaker types, orientation, acoustic treatment) as part of licensing.
- Technical and legal follow up: Residents cited research and examples from other Rhode Island towns (East Greenwich, Narragansett) and urged the council to commission legal and acoustical review before changing the ordinance. Several residents recommended using the town’s public‑entertainment license process to add technical requirements and to schedule a follow‑up work session focused on ordinance revisions.
Quotes and clarifications
Cindy (resident) said, describing measured examples and personal experience, that some nights produce readings at her house but that readings do not capture the subjective vibration and wakefulness residents report. “It's really loud. It's really annoying,” she said.
Professor and consultant names were referenced as experts in other towns’ processes; residents asked the town to consult acoustical engineers experienced in low‑frequency issues when drafting changes.
Next steps
Town leadership proposed returning this topic to a dedicated work session within the next few weeks to review specific ordinance changes, measurement protocols (measurement location, A vs. C weighting), and potential pilot programs (house‑system calibration, third‑party inspections). The police department said it will have certified equipment and an operator available during the summer and will train additional staff to use the meter consistently.
Ending note: Participants urged a stakeholder approach that includes venue owners and acoustical experts so the town can adopt enforceable, evidence‑based changes without prolonged litigation.
