Claims of "noisy neighbors," both existing and potential, brought renewed attention to the town's ordinances dealing with sound levels, something the council heard about and discussed briefly at its August 12 meeting.

The body initially listened to Kathleen Hancock, a Washington Street resident for some 10 years, who approached it with her years-long distress over the volume of music emanating from the nearby La Piñata Restaurant, located at the corner of Main and Croade Streets.

Hancock said she approached the council last week to "raise concerns about the persistent and intrusive noise" coming from La Piñata restaurant, about which she first contacted "the town in 2020, and every summer since the same problems returned."

Reading from prepared text, Hancock noted La Piñata "regularly hosts live music outdoors, often amplified, and often with a deep bass that carries directly into my home and the homes of my neighbors. The restaurant's courtyard is recessed below street level, and the way the space is shaped creates an echo chamber that directs sound up the street and into residential properties like mine.

"This isn't just an occasional disruption. It happens multiple nights a week. Typically, Thursday through Saturday, and it makes it difficult to work, to relax, or to sleep. The sound doesn't just stop at the sidewalk. It moves through windows and walls. I also want to address how this noise is measured and enforced."

Hancock she and her neighbors no longer contact the police department because they have so often in the past been told the sound stays under the permitted 75 decibels when measured on the sidewalk by the courtyard.

She continued, "But that single reading does not reflect the true impact. The courtyard shape, as I mentioned earlier, projects and amplifies sound, and the base travels through asphalt and concrete, creating vibrations inside homes, and the noise is far louder than the reading suggests. The current enforcement method is inadequate, and the policy needs to reassess how and where sound is measured."

In addition, Hancock claimed to have been alerted to what she said were "increasing concerns from other residents across town about public concerts and other restaurants playing music outdoors without much consideration for how it affects those living nearby. 

"We all recognize that Warren is a mixed-use town. I fully support our local businesses and understand their value and pleasure of outdoor dining and live music. But I also believe that those things must be balanced with residents rights to enjoy their homes, something Warren's own ordinances are meant to protect. What's more frustrating is being told that the only way to file a complaint is to call the police each time it happens. This is a predictable and repeated seasonal issue, not a one time violation.

"Relying on the police calls puts the burden on residence and does not solve the root problem. This doesn't feel like a workable or respectful solution for us or for La Piñata...There has to be a more thoughtful approach, one that supports business vitality, without sacrificing residential quality of life."

Hancock's words were spoken during the public comment section of the meeting, which does not allow the councilors to engage in any kind of meaning repartee.

Council President Joseph DePasquale, referring to an exchange he had prior to the meeting with Town Solicitor Anthony DeSisto, said, "I've spoken to Mr. DeSisto since you sent that first email to me, and we'll have this issue on the agenda in September, and we will be re-addressing the La Piñata sound situation."

Later in the meeting, during the "petitions" section of the agenda, the subject was again brought to the floor while the council considered a yearly entertainment license request from the owner of the soon-to-open "Cora’s Coffee Shop" located at 75 Market St.

Maelyn Ramaglia approached the body with her application for the shop with a planned opening in September, explained as "Entertainment: Live Music including solo artists, guitarists, a one or two-person small band and a disc jockey.

Ramaglia elaborated, "I just want to have an entertainment license for live music, mostly during the day, because that's when I will be open. Eventually, I do want to do a couple of nighttime events, but for the most part when I'm open strictly during the day.

Said Council Vice President Keri Cronin, "So you're going to have a little coffee shop, but somehow it just seems incongruous having entertainment in a coffee shop, where one generally goes to have a coffee, maybe read a book, or something like that.

"And then the whole live music and believe me, we get, I personally receive a lot of pushback and concern about the noise. And fitting into a neighborhood, you've got neighbors, both residential and commercial. So how does that work?"

Ramaglia responded, "So my reasoning behind it is because when I rented this space, I also rented a patio space in the back. So I have a couple of tables back there. So that would be where I would set up the live music. And then, like I said, for the most part it would be during the day, so hopefully that wouldn't interfere with my neighbors."

When asked if the music would be amplified, Ramaglia said, "No. It would just be like a solo acoustic artist."

Councilor Derek Trombley inquired about the capacity allowed for the space, which the owner said was pegged at 20 patrons inside with another 15 outside. She added the hours of operation are expected to be either 8 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m.

DePasquale said passage of the license would be contingent on the both the fire and police department chiefs reviewing the submission. And when the council did formally take up the matter, eventually giving its approval, he continued, "I'm willing to give you a shot. It seems like it's a small space. We'll see how it goes.

Said Cronin, "Keep in mind that if there are there are complaints, and we will be addressing you. I'm sure you heard earlier, we will be addressing next month the noise ordinance.

DePasquale added, "We're going to revisit the legalities and how we can and can't deal with the noise ordinance. And it actually doesn't have to deal with decibels. So since we are revisiting it, be aware."