Brewery, Police, Discuss Neighbors’ Concert Decibel

Dec 10, 2023

On July 5, Branford police kept track of decibel (dB) levels emanating from a large, ticketed concert event at Stony Creek Brewery (SCB). The readings were taken as part of an effort to address concerns area neighbors have raised with SCB owner Ed Crowley Sr., Town leadership, and police. The neighbors say they are unwilling receptors of amplified music when it reaches their homes at levels exceeding the noise ordinance standard of 61 dB.

SCB is located at 5 Indian Neck Avenue, in an industrial zone alongside the Branford River. Birbarie Marine Sales and boatyard is located directly across the river from SCB at 7 Indian Neck Avenue. Residential neighborhoods are also spread throughout the area.

Regarding the July 5 police decibel reading results, Zip06/The Sound contacted Branford Police Deputy Chief John Alves, who shared a copy of the report. Readings were taken prior to the concert and during the event.

At Birbarie Marine, police took readings at 2:21 p.m., which yielded an average of 59.65 dB; and readings at 51 Harding Avenue (rear) yielded an average of 52.59 dB. At 7:33 p.m., readings at Birbarie Marine averaged 59.27 dB. At 7:35 p.m., readings from Birbarie Marine averaged 62.41 dB. At 9:11 p.m. Birbarie Marine readings averaged 63.29 dB.

In his email response, Alves said the police department (PD) analysis of afternoon and evening readings on July 5 showed the event was within ordinance regulations, with “spikes” above the decibel level recorded.

Alves noted, “The sound emitted during the July 5th show was monitored prior to the start of the event by a professional sound engineer and PD staff. Working in collaboration with the brewery, this show was monitored better than any show held in the past. There are many complexities involved with the monitoring of sound, and spikes above the decibel level can easily occur from outside sources. Sound level meter readings are in constant flux as the frequency setting used for the test is intended to respond like the human ear. There are state statutes and regulations which speak to measurement procedures and specific scientific procedures used to regulate noise. Our analysis of readings from sound testing earlier in the afternoon and at the beginning of the July 5th show were within the noise ordinance. Readings taken later in the event showed sound above the 61 db limit; it’s important to remember some of these spikes can be from outside sources; however, many were as a result of the show. Although not egregious, the police department received two complaints regarding excessive noise. We have continued to work with the brewery to improve the results for the next show. Ed Crowley has committed to keeping a sound professional on staff for the entire event to monitor the decibel level emitted from the stage.”

Alves also noted that, prior to the July 5 concert, “...administrative staff from the police department and fire department met with Stony Creek Brewery owner Ed Crowley and his staff to discuss emergency and safety management and noise mitigation. Additional safety measures resulted from the meeting, which included an increase of police presence, increased lighting, and a cone pattern added to Indian Neck Ave[nue] for pedestrian safety.”

Alves also stated, “The police department would like to thank the neighbors in the surrounding residential neighborhoods for their patience while we address their concerns. Additionally, we would like to thank Ed Crowley and his staff for their efforts in ensuring a safe venue and for working in conjunction with the police department.”

Contacted by Zip06/The Sound regarding the July 5 police decibel analysis, Crowley said, “We continue to improve what we do at the brewery after every event, based on the results and working with police.”

Crowley noted that since last year, when residents raised the issue of loud music emanating from a large ticketed concert in October 2022, efforts by SBC to address such noise complaints have included SCB hiring two professional sound engineers to take noise measurements before and during music events. Additional mitigation steps by SCB have resulted in adjusting the angle of the stage and speakers to face more toward the facility.

Within this year, SCB’s 2023 event schedule has listed four large-scale events, equating to a total of 28 hours of music. SCB pays for two police on staff, two EMTs, and two ambulance personnel on staff from 4 to 10 p.m. during those shows.

Additional ticketed concert live music events in August and September are set for Aug. 2, featuring Dark Star Orchestra, and Friday, Sept. 22, featuring Grace Potter. A full schedule of SCB events appears at stonycreekbeer.com

Regarding several readings in the July 5 police analysis above 61 dB and rising as to as high as 67.7 dB, Crowley emphasized the readings were determined by the analysis to be “impulse noise” spikes and that other impulse noises, such as traffic passing over the Indian Neck Avenue bridge beside the brewery, can regularly exceed a 61 dB level well beyond 67.7 dB. On a weekday walking tour with a mobile phone decibel app, The Sound saw impulse noise readings of some passing commercial trucks and some passenger vehicles on the bridge coming in at levels above 70dB and even touching on 80 dB. However, a decibel app is not an officially calibrated decibel meter.

Regarding traffic noise dB laws, in a State of Connecticut 2022 Traffic Noise on State Roads report at cga.ct.gov, a section on state motor vehicle laws for maximum noise levels for motor vehicles states, “The maximum permitted noise level for commercial trucks ranges between 86 and 92 decibels (dB) – roughly equivalent to the sound of a garbage disposal or food processor.” The report also provides a table for the maximum permissible noise level for a motor vehicle, which ranges from 72 db to 92 dB, “...depending on the vehicle’s speed, weight, and the road surface on which it travels (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 14-80a-4a).”

Grass-roots organizers John Hartwell, Pat Dugan and Steve Carlson of the group “Turn It Down!” communicate updates to area residents who are seeking a solution to address their concerns about the SCB concerts. On July 22, the organizers shared with Zip06/The Sound an email to sent to the group containing a copy of the BPD July 5 report.

Contacted by Zip06/The Sound for further comment, organizers referred to the statements in the July 22 email. The email first makes note of a July 20 Letter to the Editor in The Sound airing concerns and questions about the SCB concerts, written by an area resident, Patricia Pace.

The group email then further states, “...the good news from July 5th is that the Branford Police took their own noise meter readings as shown in the attached report, which we understand were ‘similar’ to those obtained by the brewery’s own audio expert. This shows that the BPD can, in fact, use their own calibrated equipment to reach an independent assessment of the noise levels generated by SCB’s events. The bad news, however, is that multiple readings in the BPD report were above the 61dB limit. At 7:35 p.m., the report shows 25 separate readings, of which 18 were above 61, peaking at 67.7 dB. At 9:11 p.m., another 25 readings show 23 above the limit, again with a peak at 67 dB. The difference between 61 and 67 is huge, as the scale is logarithmic, not linear, and 67 is many times louder than 61.”

The Turn it Down! group email additionally states that, as of July 22, group organizers were “...not aware of any action by the BPD to have the band Turn It Down!” It further noted, “...we will be carefully monitoring SCB’s next event on Aug. 2 and keep you informed. We’re not going to give up until this is solved and we have our peace and quiet back.”

In its issue of July 27, The Sound published a Letter to the Editor regarding SCB noise and concert concerns from another area resident, Elizabeth Pisani-Stoyak.