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Amplified Noise Legislation Update (Bad News) *Updated*

Posted by gpliving
June 3, 2008

The Quest for Quiet blog couldn’t have said it better: Gutted Noise Bill Passed Council. Basically, the legislation allows for sound up to 80 decibels when measured from inside the home – in residential-zoned areas.

So, not only is [mostly commercially-zoned] Penn Quarter excluded from this legislation, but the sound is measured from inside of the home. The best quote from the council discussion was when Tommy Wells (Ward 6) said that none of this legislation helps the 10,000 people living downtown.

It was very easy to tell that Tommy Wells, Mary Cheh, David Catania, and Carol Schwartz were on the side of the DC citizens while the rest of the council members (including Jack Evans) folded to labor union pressure.

Update: We missed an even better quote, but the WaPo has it in their write-up: “Penn Quarter, I hope you’re listening. You’re being written off,” Cheh said of the downtown neighborhood.

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Comments
Comment by PQ Guy on June 3, 2008 @ 4:13 pm

Jack Evans routinely folds to pressure. The appreciation of his constituents will be broadcasted loud in clear in the near future.

Comment by Clara Barton Dweller on June 3, 2008 @ 4:14 pm

I live in the Clara Barton and can’t remember ever hearing loud noise from labor union people. It’s those stupid bucket drummers (luckily not on our block but just up the street)! Maybe the bucket drummers have an influential lobby!

Comment by MeYou&PQ on June 3, 2008 @ 7:41 pm

I like the bucket drummers. They add character and vibrance to the hood, as long as they keep it on that block. If they move on my block, they will be destroyed.

Comment by gpliving on June 3, 2008 @ 9:20 pm

I think the mentality of “as long as it isn’t on my block, I’m ok with it” is going to ruin PQ’s living conditions. Because when negative things finally do migrate to your block, all of the opportunities to support legislation and vote for the right politicians have come and gone.

I’m just saying that we need to look at these issues in a neighborhood context, rather than a “my front door” context.

I can also predict that even if there was a ban on bucket drummers, they wouldn’t go away – it’s too profitable. But, at least they wouldn’t play continuously for 4 hours at a time. And at least when you called the MPD, they wouldn’t brush you off because no laws were being broken.

Comment by MeYou&PQ on June 3, 2008 @ 11:33 pm

Overall the bucket drummers are harmless. More entertaining than negative. I was being tongue-n-cheek about the “not on my block comment.” The reality is that nobody lives in front of the Verizon Center, so where they play their beats is fine.

If we really wanted to make the area more homeowner friendly, we’d figure out a way to deal with the homeless issue. At least the drummer guys are providing some entertainment, which I can respect.

Comment by Sam Farmer on June 4, 2008 @ 7:42 am

Another sign that Jack Evans will not fight for us. Who will? Cary Silverman. Check out his latest post on fighting for Ward 2 residents:

http://tinyurl.com/5d7mot

Comment by Clara Barton Dweller on June 4, 2008 @ 9:46 am

#5:
You said, “…nobody lives in front of the Verizon Center, so where they play their beats is fine.”

The residents of 777 7th/Gallery Place DO live exactly where the bucket drummers drum and have been kept awake by their stupid noise into the night.

The upside of the bucket drummers is that they have made me feel more confident in my own sense of rhythm. I mean, if they can make money out there with those mind-numbingly simple and repetitive beats of theirs, maybe I should go out there and try to “drum up” some cash too. I feel like Buddy Rich compared to them!

Comment by Mr Q on June 4, 2008 @ 11:08 am

Jack Evans is an old time DC politician who needs to be replaced…he shows this time and time again in his dealings with Shaw, Mount Vernon and PQ…Dupont and G’town of course is another matter…can’t do enough for them…

You have a choice in November – Cary Silverman.

Comment by Jackie on June 4, 2008 @ 11:26 am

OK. I am VERY disappointed in our Councilman Jack Evans. He did throw all of us “under the bus.” I can’t believe that anyone in Penn Quarter would vote to re-elect him. What has he done for us lately? It is definitely time for a change. If you live in Penn Quarter PLEASE register to vote here. We need your votes so that our local elected officials will listen to us and act on our behalf. Right now it appears that they couldn’t care less.

Comment by Sam Farmer on June 4, 2008 @ 12:54 pm

@Mr. Q: The primary election is on Sept 9th and will likely decide who is our next council member.

Comment by Anonymous on June 4, 2008 @ 1:02 pm

Bucket drummers? Homeless? I don’t know about the rest of you, but my concern is the racist hate spewers who now park themselves outside of the Metro and assault passers by with their comments (delivered via speakers and/or megaphones). I now try to avoid that area and I can tell you that many white, Chinese, Hispanic, etc. city folk or suburbanites are not going to return to patronize our businesses after dealing with those scary “messengers” and their hordes of gathered fans. Why would they deal with that rather than going to quite, peaceful Georgetown? I guess that it’s a sign that the neighborhood has made it, as they’ve seen fit to move from their old spot at Macy’s to Penn Quarter. How is it legal? Thank the Council for that – Jack needs to go for a variety of reasons, including this. BTW, it seems to me that a huge majority of citizens supported the noise ban & I’m sure that most businesses agree as well, so who exactly is exerting all of this pressure on Jack et al?

Comment by Mr Q on June 4, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

Thanks for the correction Sam –

I had November in my head, but of course the primary in September is what counts!!

Comment by PQer on June 4, 2008 @ 5:27 pm

Thanks Clara Barton Dweller for having our back. I live in Residences at Gallery place and the noise from the bucket drummers reverberates right into my home. Doesn’t seem right that someone is making a buck off of my headaches. I am thinking of bringing a few buckets over to play in front of Jack Evans’ home….

Comment by LiveAndWorkinPQ on June 4, 2008 @ 8:39 pm

#13 – i assume you are joking about playing in front of Jack Evans, but I assume you know that is the whole reason that the legislation was passed the way it was.

I can’t cite all the history like some others here probably can, but several months back, some residents – maybe H Street NE – were complaining about the preachers up there or something so those residents went down to Jack Evans house and started protesting early in the morning on weekends on his block.

Viola! fast forward and legislation eventually passed that bans the protesting in his neighborhood, but doesn’t change anything over here.

see links

http://dcist.com/2008/03/10/jack_evans_gets.php

http://dcist.com/2008/05/07/noise_bill_pass.php

Comment by CityLiving on June 4, 2008 @ 8:40 pm

MeYou&PQ, wow; you need to learn your neighborhood. Nobody living around Verizon Center? Harmless bucket drummers? This is noise pollution and affects hundreds of people living in the Gallery Place condos.

When your part of the neighborhood really fills in, just wait until they’re around your building.

Anon #11 is right on! I live near the Verizon Center and patronize merchants on 7th Street less and less because of gangs of youth harassing and assaulting people, the bucket drummers and hate preachers with their blaring megaphones.

I agree with Jackie and the other posters who say that Jack Evans must go. It’s time to oust him. Carey Silverman for Ward 2! I’ll bet that Carey won’t even take junkets with a date!

Comment by MeYou&PQ on June 4, 2008 @ 11:33 pm

And by the way, I said nobody lives “in front of the Verizon Center,” not nobody lives “around” the Verizon Center. The drummers are usually at 7th and F. The condos are at least a block away.

Comment by GalleryPlaceResident on June 5, 2008 @ 9:48 am

# 16, do you actually think there is a contract with the bucket drummers to only play on the F street side of 7th? We had to call the police constantly to get them chased off. After one of the b.d’s was stabbed the police chased them with more bite.
Now we have those so called preachers, more like hate mongers. Even though I own my condo, I am subleasing an apartment for the summer, and one of the reasons is getting away from the street scene.
Our only real remedy is to vote out Jack Evans and vote in Cary Silverman, that we can have a liveable downtown.

Comment by PQer on June 5, 2008 @ 11:21 am

I am well aware that people went to Jack Evans’ house and made noise in his front yard. Can I assume this watered down bill takes away my right to protest loudly in front of his house, but people can protest loudly in front of mine? Seems like unequal protection to me.

Friends, I think the best way to get something done is to tell the media and everyone you know that the DC government is not doing a good job with making downtown livable, and that people should avoid moving to SW near the ballpark where all of the same developers are trying to duplicate their efforts.

Comment by 777 7th street resident on June 6, 2008 @ 4:27 pm

Preacher Inc. has now added drums to their act. I work from home, they are driving me crazy.

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