Residents press Neptune Beach council over late-night noise from Pete’s/Lemon Bar; council urges police complaints

Several Neptune Beach residents used the public-comment period to press the council about persistent late-night amplified music and disruptive patron behavior at Pete’s and its Lemon Street patio.

Natasha Backlund and others read comments and a letter from an out-of-town resident accusing new ownership of repeatedly violating Duval County’s noise ordinance and asking the city to close the outside patio at 10 p.m. Resident Henny Schoonover said the “boom, boom, boom” noise has seeped into her home and disrupted neighbors’ gatherings.

Resident Glenn Strauss (speaking from the audience) characterized recent incidents as “egregious,” said police response last weekend did not stop the music until 1:30 a.m., and asked why officers did not enforce the ordinance to make the music inaudible off property. Council members and the police chief responded that the appropriate enforcement channel is documented 911 or police non-emergency calls so officers can respond and create incident records; the chief said officers have gone to the location multiple times and that about half the recent responses did not meet the department’s threshold for a citation.

Mayor Beilin and other councilors reiterated the legal limits on local action and noted that the First Amendment constrains banning curse words during protests; they said the council can review the noise ordinance language but emphasized that residents must continue to call the police so complaints are logged.

Councilors encouraged residents to keep calling the police and said staff will look at the ordinance language and follow up with the police to ensure consistent application. The police chief said the department can issue notices to appear and has previously taken enforcement action in similar cases.