A noise ordinance in New Braunfels is looking to quiet a dispute between residents and a growing live music scene.
Starting November 1, the iconic Gruene Hall, along with other bars and music venues in New Braunfels, will have to limit their noise to 80 decibels. The city is already buying the police department gadgets that measure noise so there will be no disputing if someone is in violation. The law applies to businesses that operate within 100 feet of a residential area and is in effect from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
The new regulations are simply a clarification of an existing noise ordinance here in New Braunfels. Venues that play music say there was a lot of gray area in that previous ordinance and it left them open to lots of complaints from residents.
"We would have one (resident,) complaining that it was a nuisance, and then we'd have (police) on site saying, that's really not that loud," said New Braunfels Mayor Barron Casteel.
He said businesses were part group that worked on the language for the ordinance.
"We clearly don't want to stifle our downtown or other commercial areas," said Casteel. "New Braunfels holds a beautiful downtown, but most importantly, we're the oldest operating dance hall in the state of Texas. No one in New Braunfels wants to change the lifestyle in Gruene, Texas."
Festivals, like Wurstfest, will not be subject to the ordinance.
