Shed Owner Plans Suit Over Ordinance

Venue owner Ray Braun plans to take the city of Newstead, N.Y., to court because of a noise ordinance that he says will put him out of business.

Photo: Courtesy Concert Cove

Braun owns Concert Cove Amphitheatre at Braun’s Bar, which has hosted acts like Florida Georgia Line, Rodney Atkins and Faster Pussycat, and has several shows lined up through the rest of summer. The city recently passed the ordinance, in response to complaints about the music at the shed, according to  WIVB-TV.

The ordinance requires noise to be no louder than 80 decibels from 9 a.m. To 11 p.m. From the complainer’s line, and overnight it’s reduced to 65 decibels. Braun said he’s tried to work with nearby residents, including shutting down the concerts at 11 p.m., moving he stage and building a $500,000 “dome” last summer.

Residents at Quarry Hills said it wasn’t enough, according to WIVB.

“Two-and-a-half years of my time, my money, doing things to make them the way they wanted,” he said. “They wanted some of the stuff that was done here. They wanted a wall, they wanted a parking lot, they wanted the driveway, they wanted everything done over there. We did it the way they wanted. There has to be a lawsuit. I am not going to lose my money.”