West Bend Residents Voice Concerns Over Noise

Some residents on Bend’s Westside are angry about the noise coming from some popular businesses. The city’s trying to promote business growth throughout the city, but is it creating a neighborhood feud?

The city had enough complaints to warrant a city council work session discussion Wednesday night. Residents voiced their frustrations with the council, upset by the noise level from businesses like the Century Center on 14th Street, and say they aren’t following the city’s noise code for outdoor concerts and events.

“On some nights, Parilla gets into action and Brother John’s does too, so our neighborhood has had a boom of events” resident Madeleine Simmons said Thursday. “So it’s not just one person, but it’s the compounding effect of the noise on what used to be a quiet calm neighborhood.”

Thursday morning, neighbors like ‘Toddy’ said they understand the neighborhood is growing, and the noise will too.

“I’m too close. When you’ve got a band going full blast, and the base is thump thump thump thump thump and your house is vibrating, I mean, give me a break,” said Toddy. “Now they have tried to control the noise putting it inside, but when they have special events, it comes outside.”

“We make sure we do all that we can to have a good event, and have a good time without upsetting too many people,” said Garrett Wales, co-owner of 10 Barrel Brewing Company on Galveston Avenue “We don’t push the envelope on the noise ordinance.”

But others living in the area say they aren’t bothered by the noise.

“It sounds like noise because they’re not inside listening to the music that it actually is,” said Guy Hawkanson.

“I wouldn’t consider it an issue whatsoever,” said resident Bryan Hawkanson. “I figure that even if it does get loud that it probably calms down by a reasonable hour anyway.”

“The last thing we want to do is harm the neighborhood or upset our neighbors,” said Wales. “We are a community-based establishment — that’s why we came out here to the Westside, and that’s why we wanted to be on Galveston and be a part of the neighborhood.”

Residents say they don’t want the businesses to go away, they just want the sound to be turned down.

They also say they’re working to sit down with the business owners, police, and city council again to find a solution.