Tower Hill Tavern - Expansion Plans?

[mcdude]

Tower Hill Tavern - WEBPAGE
BLUEPRINT of expansion proposal
Tower Hill Tavern SOUND REPORT

From the Laconia Sun

Sleep v. entertainment at Weirs at issue again tonight
Written by Michael Kitch
LACONIA — The Planning Board will return to the proposal by Anthony Santagate to convert the top floor of the Tower Hill Tavern at Weirs Beach to a live music venue when it meets tonight at the Weirs Community Center at 6:30 p.m.
The proposal has aroused controversy about the level of noise and the adequacy of parking. Tonight the board will consider Santagate's request to find the public parking spaces at the boat docks sufficient to accommodate the proposed use of the building. Opponents of the project have suggested Santagate should be required to provide sufficient parking by leasing spaces from nearby property owners as other businesses do.
Meanwhile, faced with conflicting reports from two sound engineers, the board continues to wrestle with the issue of noise raised by neighboring businesses, especially those offering overnight accommodation, and residents. Their concerns prompted the board to require Santagate to fund a round of testing to determine if the noise leaving the building would be within acceptable limits.
In September Eric Reuter of Reuter Associates of Portsmouth told the board that he calculated the sound of a live band would reach 90 decibels within the building and add between 45 and 50 decibels to the ambient sound level outside it, which he described as "reasonable for this area and this use." However, the board questioned his methodology and ordered a further round of testing, which Santagate said confirmed Reuter's original findings.
Meanwhile, Frank Kuhn of Air & Noise Compliance of Plaistow, who was hired by Robert and Mike Ames, owners of the Half Moon Motel and Cottages, to review Reuter's reports and conduct tests himself cast doubt on Reuter's findings. He presumed that the ambient sound level outside the building in the evening would be between 40 and 45 decibels and expected a live band would raise it to 110 decibels. He stressed that neighbors are especially sensitive to sound after dark, when the ambient sound level is lowest.
The board agreed to refer the reports to a consultant, who would be asked to set some standard for audible noise with reference to specific places and times and measured by particular instruments. Apart from addressing the specific noise issues surrounding the Tower Hill Tavern, the Planning Board anticipates rewriting the city noise ordinance in hopes of developing standards that can be applied to similar proposals in the future.

[RLW]

They say to help get our people back to work and this type of stuff keeps it from happening. I'm not saying that the businesses around the location are wrong, but how do we get our people back to work, such as the architect, town for permits, state for all their permits all the different building contractors like the framers, plumbers, electricians, plasters and decorators and I'm sure many many more just to build and then it will be the people who work for the new business and maintain the new building. There are many more that benefits from it, including the town/cities. I am not for or against just letting my feelings be aired.

[Woodsy]

I think its a tough situation, but my vote goes with Tower Hill. There are things that can be done to mitigate some of the noise a band will cause. I also think the Ames 110db statement is ridiculous!

Check this link!

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html

I think new business in the Weirs should be encouraged! Anything that will help to make the Weirs a destination again. I dont see a ton of people visiting the Weirs with the sole intention of sleeping quietly.


Woodsy

[RLW]

thekings, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

[The Watcher]

Nashville North lives!

[mcdude]

Laconia Sun

Tower Hill Tavern finally gains OK for live music on 2nd floor

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Details

Published Date

Written by Michael Kitch

LACONIA — "It's been a long road," Jay Santagate told the Planning Board, which last night unanimously approved his request to convert the upper floor of the Tower Hill Tavern at Weirs Beach to a live music venue after a number of public hearings and several rounds of sound tests over the the last 18 months.
Santagate met stiff resistance from his neighbors, particularly Robert and Michael Ames, owners of the Half Moon Motel and Cottages, and Joe Driscoll, owner of the Cozy Inn and Lakeview House, who claimed that the sound of late night music would disturb the sleep of their guests.
In letter delivered to the board last night, Driscoll said entertainment downstairs at the Tower Hill Tavern has already taken a toll on his business, prompting guests to check out and demand refunds.
Michael Ames reminded the board that other bars offered live music without disturbing their neighbors and asked "if they can do it, why can't these guys?" Denying charges of seeking to stifle business, his brother Robert remarked "we don't care if they're juggling chainsaws in there as long as we can't hear them."
Countering, Michael Foote of Rollercoaster Road referred to the bells and whistles coming from the arcade on Lakeside Ave., which is owned by the Ames brothers and suggested "maybe we should shut the arches at nine o'clock so people could get to sleep even sooner." Noise and music, he said are "the sounds of The Weirs trying to make money while we hear coughing, wheezing and snoring from the sleep establishment."
Both Santagate and the Ames hired sound engineers and when they submitted conflicting reports the Planning Board commissioned Eric Reuter of Reuter Associates, LLC of Portsmouth, an acoustic and noise consultant, to prepare a third party review. Using what he described as "conservative assumptions," he said that with the building insulated and the doors and windows shut that the sound escaping the building would be muffled, not excessive." He calculated the level would reach 53 decibels, equivalent to a civil conversation, at the nearest cottage.
Attorney Regina Nadeau, representing the Ames brothers, urged the board to limit the sound inside the building to less than 90 decibels and outside the building to less than 45 decibels between 10 and 11 p.m. as well as to stipulate that the sound not be "clearly audible at 50 feet from the property line. She stressed that "we're challenging what happens after 9 p.m. on weeknights and after 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
In approving the application the board specified that the upper floor be properly insulated and the doors and windows shut during performances. In addition, bands would play only until 11 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day and until 10 p.m. from Labor Day to Memorial Day and, following Nadeau's proposal, no sound would be clearly audible 50 feet from the property line.

[Heaven]

I wonder what it will take to make this existing building meet building and fire codes? Oh I see there is a link to some plans.

[AC2717]

lets hope the do it right with the sound insulation and what not, I am in all favor for this if they do it right, unlike my neighbors..we all know this story who did not but claim to have

[birchhaven]

Lets hope they do it right and not only do what they are say they will but also get some good bands for all to enjoy, might even help out biz for the Weirs.

Side note: Attorney Regina Nadeau seems to always lingering at these things, kind of an "ambulance chancer" I feel like every-time I read one of McDudes newpaper acticle links she is involved. I guess that is not really a bad thing except it just doesn't sit right in my gut.

[Winnisquamguy]

This is going to be one of the best things that has happened to the Weirs in years. When the big bands start booking the place then just maybe then will the people of Half Moon Motel and Cottages, Cozy Inn and Lakeview House be happy when they’re sold out every weekend, or every week. People never like change but I think we can all agree the Weirs is a dump and if not for bike week it would be pretty much non extant. Maybe where Wide Open was will be a nice restaurant or nice hotel. My theory is if you build it they will come and hopefully year round. People need to start having a positive outlook in life. There are so many people that are so worse off then you could dream of!!

[Heaven]

Originally Posted by birchhaven

Lets hope they do it right and not only do what they are say they will but also get some good bands for all to enjoy, might even help out biz for the Weirs.

Side note: Attorney Regina Nadeau seems to always lingering at these things, kind of an "ambulance chancer" I feel like every-time I read one of McDudes newpaper acticle links she is involved. I guess that is not really a bad thing except it just doesn't sit right in my gut.

Nadeau specializes in property issues so it makes sense that you see her name associated with this kind of case.
I am having a hard time grasping how this place will make money with live music as the seat count is quite low for the apparent investment.