HOUSTON — Neighbors hoping to silence White Oak Music Hall haven’t completely succeeded.
But they did get the volume turned down, so to speak.
That’s because both sides in a longtime legal battle have decided to settle.
“There’s ways that people can work things out without having any problems, you know?” said neighbor Carlos Zamora.
Zamora credits new windows in his old home for keeping sound down. But he hopes the settlement further limits the amount of nuisance noise, especially the kind that neighbors blame for keeping their kids up.
“They go to sleep at night, and with the noise, the babies can’t go to sleep,” Zamora said. “It creates a disturbance.”
The settlement lays out specific stipulations.
There will be tighter scheduling, including concert time restrictions on school nights. And there will be sound monitoring during all shows by equipment that actually measures decibels.
“There will be sound monitoring on the lawn and on the patio that the plaintiffs can watch real-time,” said attorney Cris Feldman.
Feldman represents a number of neighbors who took the venue to court.
“And White Oak Music Hall will be penalized for violations of this agreement starting at $5,000,” Feldman said. “And potentially even harsher remedies beyond that.”
Neighbors like Zamora are cautiously optimistic.
“If they don’t hold to the agreement, well then, they take other steps,” Zamora said.
White Oak Music Hall managing partner Johnny So issued this statement concerning the settlement:
“We are pleased to have resolved this matter with the plaintiffs. We think it is the quintessential definition of a compromise, with both groups agreeing on a middle-ground that addresses the plaintiffs’ concerns regarding outdoor event frequency, outdoor event volume, and even such things as school testing schedules. And simultaneously it balances our need to continue to offer a first-rate concert experience to our guests. We appreciate the plaintiffs’ willingness to work with us, and look forward to our slate of Lawn concerts this year.”