Monterey Bar to fight city sound ordinance
A Monterey bar is struggling to keep its business the same after losing a lawsuit over noise complaints.
Anthony Buich, the owner of the Bull and Bear Whiskey Bar and Taphouse, told KION a legal battle they’re in over a city sound ordinance could cost them their business.
Buich has owned the bar since 2011. He said over the past two years, he has been faced with legal challenges from his neighbors over noise complaints.
“We’re not on record violating our curfew, we’re not on record violating our capacity. But according to the Work family that owns the Saucito Land Company, we have violated the sound ordinance based upon their interpretation of it,” explained Anthony Buich.
Buich said the bar’s patio, a venue for many bands and musicians has been around since 1992.
Today, a court-ordered sound measuring device was installed on Saucito’s building making sure things don’t get too loud.
“This Monterey-approved sound measuring decibel reader here, if I stop talking, we’ve got like an average range of 62, 67, 67, 68. The moment I start talking we’re at 74, 73,76 and the ordinance does not let you go above that. The ordinance does not let you go above 65 decibels,” said Buich.
Buich said the city’s sound ordinance is vague and unreasonable.
KION reached out to the Saucito Land Company for comment, but have not heard back yet.
However, at the July 24th planning commission, the company’s general manager had this to say, “You can’t dump your trash on your neighbor, you can’t burden your neighbor with your parking needs and you need to manage your sound level so it doesn’t impact your neighbor. Sixty-five decibels does that.”
Buich said the dispute has been heard by three judges, one of which ordered the sound monitoring device.
Buich has concerns about the device not picking up music and instead people’s voices, but the Saucito Land Company said the settlement should be final.
Buich said a judge told him he can only enforce the law and Buich must go to the city to fight the ordinance. He must now work with the planning commission to put the item on the council agenda.
