Wednesday, August 21, 2024–8:18 a.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

A familiar issue was back before the Rome Alcohol Control Commission on Monday.

The ACC conducted a license hearing for River Remedy Brewing Company on Glenn Milner Boulevard following a noise complaint. The business was cited for a violation of the noise ordinance on August 10 after police received a text message from Mike Schieffer, a resident of East Fourth Street, at around 4:30 p.m. on August 10.

The back-and-forth between River Remedy and some residents of the Between the Rivers area goes back to 2022 and even led to the drafting of a new noise ordinance. That ordinance was presented to the public safety committee and would have made noise that could be heard at 100 feet a violation in the downtown business district. It drew criticism from the owners of several downtown establishments who feared that it would mean no amplified music at all downtown. It was never adopted.

“This is a long-standing issue,” said Justin Shepherd with River Remedy. “We have met several times here before, and it has been determined that we have not been in violation of any ordinance. We’ve made modifications to the brewery since the first issue stemming back to 2022 over an acoustic guitar being played. We’ve continued to operate since then raising money for charities and entertaining customers.”

Meanwhile, Schieffer asked the ACC to take action.

“What we would ask, as neighbors in this neighborhood, and it’s really what we desire—we desire simple stuff,” he said. “We desire quiet enjoyment of our property; we want to bring friends and family together without disturbing music and noise. We want to be able to put our children to bed without the vibrations of the bass permeating the bedrooms.”

ACC member Taylor McMichael believes that the current noise ordinance contributes to disputes like this.

“The ordinance, as it stands, has a vagueness to it that creates a situation for citizens to speculate, and for Justin not to know whether he is abiding by it or not,” she said. “It creates this haze of not knowing how to do right.”

McMichael then made a motion to take no action, which was approved by the rest of the ACC.

Chair Billy Cooper noted that River Remedy does have a date in municipal court to answer to the noise citation and added it’s not the mission of the ACC to put anyone out of business.