The creators of a new noise ordinance in Woodstock see it as a compromise that lets at least some amplified outdoor music continue, The town board’s proposal limits amplified music to Fridays and Saturdays for three hours each, with Sundays allowed on holiday weekends. Permits would be considered for up to five large events per season.
For one Woodstock venue, those opportunities are insufficient.
Ben Rollins, owner of Station Bar & Curio and former member of the task force that created the proposed new ordinance, contends it severely limits musicians’ ability to earn a living. For the past eight years, the Station has featured unknown artists on its outdoor stage. Indoor space is limited.
In recent years, noise complaints have resulted in police stopping shows early. Station management has had to rethink its music booking.
“Under the new proposed noise ordinance, with an allowance of only six hours of stage time per week the opportunity for these working artists to play has decreased, at minimum by 75 percent,” Rollins said.
His proposal is to utilize town subsidies from Spectrum that are supposed to go to Woodstock’s public-access station to initiate a community server dedicated to live event production, distribution and community streaming — creating a public-access channel where all stages would be natively connected to the community while remaining independent of each other.
“From sharing sound checks to extending seating beyond sold-out venues’ physical walls, to private venues showcasing shared productions, the possibilities are essentially endless,” Rollins said. “Through showcasing who we are as a town, as a community, we can hopefully create collective online revenue for rising local artists who otherwise are excluded from Woodstock’s economy.”
Outdoor music in one form or another has been a part of Woodstock for decades. It grew during the pandemic as a way for people to safely gather and businesses to survive. New venues opened under a temporary emergency order waiving town planning approval. When the order expired, venues fell under increased scrutiny amid rising noise complaints.
A public hearing on the new ordinance is set for Tuesday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. at the town hall, 76 Tinker Street.
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