As many who occupy the residential areas surrounding The Hangar (Taproom & Bottle Shop) are already painfully aware, the establishment was granted a series of Special Use Permits by the City’s Development Services Department (DSD) for the purpose of conducting outdoor, amplified live music concerts on its premises over this past summer. Special Use Permits were required because the business operating permit for that business at that location is for a beer garden, not a concert venue.

The granting of these permits has raised serious questions as to whether the DSD Planning Division completed a thorough analysis of the noise impact these concerts could have on the surrounding residential neighborhoods. While the promotion of local business activity is important, the City has first and foremost a DUTY to its residents, to enforce nuisance laws and to protect residents from nuisance noise disruptions affecting them in their homes.

At the September 8, 2026 City Council meeting, this issue was briefly discussed after a slew of complaints from residents, both written and verbal. City Manager Hilary Roverud stated that the Special Use Permits come with a series of parameters, one of which is noise maximums measured in decibels. She also stated that the City does not have enough staff to be deployed to ensure that the parameters, including noise maximums, are being adhered to, and as such the decibel output is self-measured and self-reported by the establishment itself. Further, she stated that the Special Use Permit provides for the reporting of the decibel measurements as an average over a 24-hour period.

This is unacceptable. Noise measurements taken and averaged over 24 hours for a business which is mostly closed other than for the 3-hour period of the concert is NOT going to provide relevant feedback. Relevant noise output data can ONLY be captured in real time, during the concert event, and this should absolutely be a requirement! It is the ONLY measurement that matters to the residents who are being subjected to this noise while simply trying to enjoy a quiet evening in their homes or yards.

We urge City officials to show more care and consideration for the residents whom you serve. You have received many calls and letters about this, and there has been no relief for us in the neighborhoods surrounding the concert venue. THE CITY MUST NOT ISSUE SPECIAL USE PERMITS THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE STAFFING TO COMPETENTLY ENFORCE, PERIOD.

The next outdoor concert at The Hangar is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, 2026 from 7-10 p.m., and is sold out. This is an excellent opportunity for appropriate City officials to be present and collect the only noise output measurements that really matter to us residents. This must be a priority consideration in the future issuance of Special Use Permits at this AND OTHER business locations.

Signed: Residents of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Sierra Neighborhood

Robyn Johnson

Dory Smith

Diana Hamilton-Smith

Judi Allen

Sue Harley