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Village musicians, business owners press Big Bear Lake council over noise enforcement; council orders quick review
Summary
Musicians, restaurant owners and residents urged the council to ease or clarify enforcement of a 65 dB-from-property-line decibel rule and permit pathway after enforcement curtailed amplified performances at Cowboys Wandering. Council asked staff to survey businesses, asked the planning commission for recommendations and authorized exploring a short-term pause while a permanent fix is developed.
Dozens of speakers told the Big Bear Lake City Council on May 13 that live music fuels village foot traffic and that recent enforcement against one venue, Cowboys Wandering, appears inconsistent and threatens small businesses.
Duke Michaels, who performs locally, said the business had gathered nearly 100 supporters and was seeking "equal treatment and fair enforcement," adding that a permit process being applied to his venue could take months and cost thousands. "We are not asking for special treatment. We are simply asking not to be treated differently," Michaels said.
Peg (Peggy Baldwin), who performs with Michaels, said she measured ambient noise levels outside the venue and found baseline readings near 61–62 dB and crowd noise inside the lobby of 75–80 dB, and asked the council to suspend the 65‑dB-from‑property‑line standard while a longer review is completed.
Dan Rubenol, proprietor of Cowboys Wandering, told the council that a single complaint had triggered a code enforcement notice prohibiting use of microphones and amplifiers and that the enforcement felt targeted: "For the last year and a half, we've just about gone to every bar, restaurant, public event, and I have yet to see one place without a microphone or an amplifier." He asked that the city either pause enforcement or fast‑track a permitting alternative.
Council members responded by directing staff to survey village businesses, enlist the Chamber of Commerce and planning commission for short‑term guidance, and invite the sheriff’s office to brief the council on e‑bike and public‑safety enforcement. The council asked staff to return to the June agenda with options including a temporary moratorium or narrowly tailored interim rules (days/hours/decibel thresholds) while Planning Commission studies permanent code changes.
City staff noted legal constraints and said the current enforcement stems from a complaint, but that staff will pursue education and outreach and seek a short window for Planning Commission review. "We can survey business owners and present recommendations in June," the city manager said.
The council did not adopt an immediate ordinance change at the meeting, but members signaled urgency and asked staff to notify affected businesses and commenters of next steps.
