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Select Board limits Freebird Motor Lodge music after neighbor complaints, approves conditional entertainment license
Summary
After neighbors complained about amplified weekend music, the Yarmouth Select Board granted Freebird Motor Lodge a conditional entertainment license limited to Friday and Saturday (2–7 p.m.) plus Labor Day Sunday, allowing only acoustic instruments and conversational-level amplification; the decision followed public testimony and a board negotiation of enforcement and review conditions.
The Yarmouth Select Board voted July 7 to approve an entertainment license for the Freebird Motor Lodge with strict conditions after neighbors said amplified music had intruded into their yards.
Dawn Farokas, who owns property next to the motel, told the board the music “is not supposed to be amplified, and it is,” and said she felt like “I have a concert in my backyard.” Farokas asked the board to limit live music to Fridays and Saturdays and to restrict hours, saying the family has lived locally since 1970 and has previously called police over loud events.
Parth Patel, the Freebird’s manager, said the venue’s intention is small-scale, family‑friendly performances by one or two musicians near the pool and not “big concerts.” He said the property needed limited amplification so poolside listeners could hear and that recorded music and a mellow vinyl DJ would be conversational in volume.
Board members pressed on two issues: whether prior license conditions (the 2024 license had required acoustic-only music with no amplification and a one-year review) were being honored, and how to ensure that amplified sound did not broadcast off-premises. Amy (town staff) confirmed the 2024 license conditions included “no amplification system, acoustic only” and a one‑year review date.
After extended discussion the board adopted a motion to approve the entertainment license with the following conditions: amplification permitted only on Friday and Saturday and on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend; hours of permitted live entertainment 2 p.m.–7 p.m.; live music limited to acoustic instruments with any amplification held to conversational levels; recorded music likewise limited to conversational levels; and a one‑year review with an opportunity for abutters to return to the board if problems continue. The motion passed by voice vote.
Select Board members said the conditions and the one‑year review give neighbors a path to recourse if noise persists. Chair (speaker 2) told the applicant to provide a phone contact to abutters for immediate complaints and noted the board could revisit the license if compliance issues continued.
The board did not set a numeric decibel limit but required on‑site management of volume “to remain at reasonable levels” and emphasized that recorded music and DJ sets be kept at conversational volume. The board also asked staff to document the license conditions and the review schedule.
The decision ends the immediate licensing dispute while reserving authority for the board to revisit the matter if neighbors report further violations.
