Neighbor complains HS marching band rehearsals are too loud.

[KelNottAt]

Here's a link to the story:
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2007/09/11/news/local_news/newsstory5.txt

In a nutshell...
The band practices in a school parking lot twice a week from about 6P - 9P. They have to do it in the evenings
1) because some of the musicians are athletes who must to attend afternoon team practices
2) the football field is in use during the afternoons and most evenings
3) they need light after the sun sets and the parking lot provides it

The band has been rehearsing this way for 25 years. Now a neighbor of the school is complaining about the noise because it keeps his kids up past bedtime.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Christine]

I could see this being a problem.

One of our local schools has their marching band practice in parking lot also. I have seen people's yards that are extremely close to that parking lot.

Being one of those people who go to bed at 8:30 (I get up at 4:30 a.m.), it would probably be an issue for me. Also, I'm not sure I'd want to hear that every weeknight through November. Depending on how loud it was, I would imagine that it could really get to you.

 

[mickeyboat]

I think 9 is a little late to be playing loud music. But it sounds like they basically within the noise ordinance rules. So I am not sure what he can do on an official level.

On a non-official level, if I were him, I would meet with the band director and see if practices can be restructured to reduce the noise later in the evening as much as possible. Maybe they can practice the music at 6, and the marching steps later or something. Or schedule the louder instruments at one time and the less loud ones at another. I find it hard to believe they are all marching and playing for 3 hours. Do they eat dinner?

On the other hand, I guess if you buy a house next to a high school, you have to expect things like that!

Denae

 

[piglet too]

They should just deal with it. Sorry that the band is "too loud" but they were there first. It reminds me of the fight some new home owners (people who moved to an established neighborhood) put up near my HS when they realized how bright the football lights were and how loud Friday nights got. Same with the new home owners (new houses) who complained about the foul balls hitting their house from the baseball fields. The school was there first, so it is your problem, not theirs.

 

[debbi801]

Here's a link to the story:
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2007/09/11/news/local_news/newsstory5.txt

In a nutshell...
The band practices in a school parking lot twice a week from about 6P - 9P. They have to do it in the evenings
1) because some of the musicians are athletes who must to attend afternoon team practices
2) the football field is in use during the afternoons and most evenings
3) they need light after the sun sets and the parking lot provides it

The band has been rehearsing this way for 25 years. Now a neighbor of the school is complaining about the noise because it keeps his kids up past bedtime.

What are your thoughts?

Well, according to the story I was reading some place, the police came out and took noise readings and the band was within the allowed dB levels for outside noise.

I could see the band having to change how it practices if the dB levels were above the legal limit. But, since they're not, I think the neighbor is just going to need to deal with it.

It is like the people who bought houses right next to the airport out there and then complained that the planes were too noisy.

 

[GJM]

Some people just need to complain -

We lived 2 street over from the HS and in the fall you can hear the football games and the band. When we purchased the house we figured we would get some noise from the school. It wasn't a big deal.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

they should deal: it is music, not noise..and I don't think 9 is all that late!!!

They should also be glad these kids are doing something that takes hard work and dedication - all too often we hear about the kids that get into trouble...lets give the good ones a break for cryin' out loud!

(I was a band geek - can ya tell!?!?!? )

we also used to live near a school - and this type of thing didn't bother me in the least - I enjoyed it - especially the Scottish bagpipe band!!!!! They could practice all night as far as I was concerned!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

SHOCKING!!! Imagine buying a house next to a high school and discovering that they might have a marching band!!! As the saying goes, "Let the buyer beware", and as the other saying goes, "they need to shut up and suck it up".

 

[Heidict]

I wouldn't be happy about it, seeing as how I have a toddler who goes to bad by 7.30 every night. I'm sure that the music would keep her up and I would not be a happy neighbor.

But, in light of the fact that I have a toddler, I wouldn't buy or live in a house that was next to a HS for these types of reasons. If you buy a house near the HS you have to expect noise, whether it's from the band or a game or just kids hanging out. You can't expect everyone in your new neighborhood to change everything to accomodate you when you move in.

 

[Hannathy]

They bought a house next to the High School what did they expect!

They should deal with it and the media shouldn't even have given them the time of day.

If I was the director I'd make sure the brass section was facing their house as often as possible, next time they should buy next to a cometary but then I guess they would complainer about the noise the digging machine makes.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

They should just deal with it. Sorry that the band is "too loud" but they were there first. It reminds me of the fight some new home owners (people who moved to an established neighborhood) put up near my HS when they realized how bright the football lights were and how loud Friday nights got. Same with the new home owners (new houses) who complained about the foul balls hitting their house from the baseball fields. The school was there first, so it is your problem, not theirs.

I totally agree with this. Might I also add into your examples, airports. If you buy a house near an airport, be prepared to hear airplanes flying over your house.

 

[TEENEE]

Some people just have to have something to complain about. Here is a case of kids doing something constructive, not causing any problems yet some person has to find something wrong with it. When you buy a house near a school, especially a high school you have to expect lots of cars and noise from time to time. If he doesn't like the noise he should not have bought a house in that neighborhood.

 

[DawnCt1]

I totally agree with this. Might I also add into your examples, airports. If you buy a house near an airport, be prepared to hear airplanes flying over your house.

And if you move next to a farm, be prepared to find a couple of cows and some chickens in your yard on occasion. That's life!

 

[Tiffer]

They came to the nuisance.

People never cease to amaze me. The sense of entitlement. The HS is supposed to stop after a 1/4 of a century.

It's like moving next to WDW and complaining about the fireworks at night. DUH!

 

[Tiffer]

They bought a house next to the High School what did they expect!

They should deal with it and the media shouldn't even have given them the time of day.

If I was the director I'd make sure the brass section was facing their house as often as possible, next time they should buy next to a cometary but then I guess they would complainer about the noise the digging machine makes.

Passisve aggressive? I like the way you think.

 

[piglet too]

And if you move next to a farm, be prepared to find a couple of cows and some chickens in your yard on occasion. That's life!

Don't forget the wonderful aroma when you are down wind from the open hog pens. A new neighbor to my in-laws (who live in rural Illinois smack dab between several farms with hogs) complainedd how bad the smell got over the summer. They could not understand why the farmers had to open up the hog pens and stink up the air. We are all taking bets that they will be moving before winter is over.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

And if you move next to a farm, be prepared to find a couple of cows and some chickens in your yard on occasion. That's life!

Ooooo, how about the smells that come from farms?

 

[MadameLeota]

Ha they just need to get over it...the band will play...it will be loud...they should have expected it when they bought a house near the highschool...jeez....

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I don't think that it is too much to ask that the band compromises a bit with the neighborhood.

Honestly, I'd be kind of ticked off that my band member child was at the school until 9:00 twice a week, particularly if it is partially because they are trying to accommodate kids with other activities. I was in the band and can honestly say that we weren't athletes on the side. I find it hard to believe that there are many kids in the the band with that issue. Commit to the band, practice in the same parking lot after school, and get out of there before 7:00. Everyone is happy.

Anyway, my dad lives up in Carroll County, so hi!

 

[Tiffer]

I don't think that it is too much to ask that the band compromises a bit with the neighborhood.

Honestly, I'd be kind of ticked off that my band member child was at the school until 9:00 twice a week, particularly if it is partially because they are trying to accommodate kids with other activities. I was in the band and can honestly say that we weren't athletes on the side. I find it hard to believe that there are many kids in the the band with that issue. Commit to the band, practice in the same parking lot after school, and get out of there before 7:00. Everyone is happy.

Anyway, my dad lives up in Carroll County, so hi!

But if you *knew*, or should have known, ahead of time that the band practices at this time for years and years, wouldn't you just not have your child in the band in the first place if you don't like it? I don't get why people would put their kid in the band and THEN try to change the practice.