After five years of noise complaints about loud music at CJ’s Sandbar, Lloyd and Kathy Coe finally have a resolution. Sort of.
Monday, March 8, the Village of Lake Orion and Sandbar owners Carl and Joan Slomczenski agreed on a civil judgment that allows the establishment to have live music Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight and other days with prior notice. Music is not to exceed 100 decibels, to be checked by a decibel reader installed on the wall CJ’s shares with the Coe’s building, which contains Ed’s Broadway Gift and Costume and several apartments upstairs.
‘We’re happy that we have our music back and glad it’s all over,? said Carl Slomczenski. ‘We put a big old sign out to let all our patrons know.?
But the Coe’s say they’re not so happy. The couple told the village council at an earlier meeting that 85 decibels was their preferable noise limit.
‘We’re going to stay optimistic about this and we hope that there are no more issues,? said Kathy, adding, ‘We do not understand the village’s decisions to correct this by implementing the 100 decibel limit. We still feel it should be lower; 85 decibels was the preferred level where noise and music did not penetrate the wall.?
According to the Coes, Village Manager Paul Zelenak, Village Council President Ken Van Portfliet and Lloyd and Kathy did a site visit, experimenting with music volume and everyone agreed on 85 decibels.
‘We’re not trying to wreck the bar atmosphere at all, nor hurt his business,? said Kathy, ‘but they have to respect us, too.?
Lloyd noted that he and Kathy weren’t notified of or invited to the meeting where the civil judgment was decided on.
‘I ran over there and grabbed an agenda and just happened to see that we were on it,? he said. ‘It’s something that’s been going on for five years, and they don’t have the courtesy to tell us it’s on the agenda. You’d think somebody would have called up and said that to us.?
According to Van Portfliet, trying to make the situation a win-win for all parties was difficult.
‘It took a lot of review, some negotiations and consideration for the immediate and long-term effects that it will have in our downtown business area and adjoining property owners,? he said. ‘Both property owners are involved in the community and are stewards in the community.?
Van Portfliet added he was in favor of a lower decibel limit and isn’t sure ‘that 100 decibels is the right level.?
‘I said it to both property owners: we would hope that their ability to work together would prevail,? he said.