Politics & Government

Discussions to Continue Over Bamboo Grille Noise Restrictions

Restaurant and catering hall owner says he voluntarily has scaled back entertainment, and lost money.

With the issue of the legality of the Township Committee's noise restrictions on the heading to court, representatives for both the township, and the the restaurant and catering hall, have tentatively agreed to meet soon for further discussions.

"At this point, it's really couched in terms of them, that we [could] listen to suggestions that they might have," Township Mayor John Malay said on Friday morning. He said he has not yet heard when that meeting might be held.

Jack Welch, a principal in the business partnership that runs the Bamboo Grille and Fair Winds Fine Catering at 185 Madisonville Road, said he believed the two sides are supposed to meet next Wednesday. In the meantime, Welch said he has voluntarily moved indoors music from an outdoor bar since the Township Committee placed in June.

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Those restrictions were spurred by continuing complaints of noise from music at the Bamboo Grille, as voices coming from an outdoor deck for Fair Winds Catering, that were brought before police and the Township Committee by the establishment's two closest residential neighbors on Madisonville Road.

That ban on amplified music anywhere in the establishment was later stayed by the state's Alcoholic Beverage Commission director. The overturning of that restriction was later made permanent, but the township was given the right to appeal the ABC's decision.

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The Township Committee has appointed Township Attorney John Belardo to represent the township in an appeal before state Administrative Law Judge Edward Delanoy.

Township Administrator Bruce McArthur on Friday said he the latest update he has seen is that there is a pre-hearing telephone conference scheduled with Judge Delanoy on Oct. 3, with only attorneys to participate.

Malay said he had not yet heard back from the township's attorney, John Belardo, on the details of the planned meeting before that time that he said is likely to be attended by the attorneys for the township and Bamboo Grille, himself and Township Committeeman John Carpenter and any other representatives from the Bamboo Grille.

Malay said he did not want to make further comments at this time, given the pending legal proceedings.

Welch, however, said in an interview on Thursday that he objects to the legal proceedings both as a business owner, and as a resident of the township. 

"This facility pays $152,000 a year in taxes," Welch said, aside from the taxes he said he pays as a homeowner in town.

Welch said he has voluntarily brought music indoors since June instead of having bands play on an outdoor patio. He said the facility has a sign on the catering hall's deck that asks those who are outdoors to be considerate of neighbhors as far as noise.

Even so, Welch said the closest neighbor to the surrounding golf course on the property has still called police to complain about noise.

In response to a request for information, Township Police Lt. Ted Reese said that police responded to complaints from a Madisonville Road resident at 11:30 p.m. on July 23, and at 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on July 30.

On all of those occasions the police monitored the sound levels from a variety of locations surrounding the Basking Ridge Country Club, according to Reese. He said he reviewed reports from those nights, and it did not appear as though further police investigation or action was required.

Welch said he has purchased a sound decibel meter, and will place it on the perimeter of the property when the Bamboo Grille resumes outdoor music in the near future.

In the past, officials in Bernards Township, as well as other nearby municipalities, have said that noise ordinances setting specific levels of sound decibels are very difficult to enforce because experts are needed to interpet the readings. 

However, Welch said he believes the meter is a more fair measurable standard than an existing nuisance ordinance, under which the Bamboo Grille has been found guilty based on noise complaints. Welch said he is collecting a petition by residents asking the Township Committee to repeal the nuisance ordinance. 


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