THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605170537
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
For hundreds of rock music lovers who pack the new Atlantis nightclub, the sounds of bands like Dada, Firefall and Too Much Joy keep them dancing all night.
But residents who live nearby say the pulsating beat and other noise from the nightspot is causing them to walk the floor during sleepless nights.
Those homeowners took their concerns to the Nags Head Board of Commissioners Wednesday, and the five-member board said it will study the problem, and try to reach a solution.
Gail Kowalski, a spokeswoman for the residents, said they do not want to see the Atlantis shut down, but they do want the volume turned down. She also complained about parking.
``We have a concern about the sound outside the building,'' Kowalski said. ``Along with the music, there's a lot of screaming and yelling outside. We also feel the taxpayers' money could be better spent than to have police officers respond to noise calls.''
Kowalski said the overflow from lot, whose capacity is 50 cars, sometimes ends up along residential streets or in vacant driveways.
``Our goal is not to run him out of town,'' Kowalski said, referring to Atlantis co-owner Jerry Dowless. ``We're willing to try to work on the situation.''
Dowless said he was trying to respond positively to neighbors' concerns.
``I'm doing 100 percent, everything I can do to keep the noise down,'' Dowless said. ``I don't want to bother people. I have a family myself.''
Dowless said he is considering a variety of options, including building a wall in the back area of the club to buffer the noise.
``We had some problems the first weekend,'' earlier this month, he said. ``But we have worked out an arrangement with Pugh's next door, and we're talking with Food Lion across the street about allowing our overflow to park there. I want to do everything I can to work with the neighborhood and run a successful business.''
Some neighbors were skeptical. One, Frederick Johnson, said something needs to be done now.
``I'm 75, and I want to enjoy my remaining years rather than walking the floor and thinking bad thoughts about Jerry,'' Johnson said. ``I don't want his business keeping me up at night.''
Johnson also expressed concern that a different standard was being applied to the Atlantis than to residential noise.
``If you had a noise complaint about me, and the police had to come, and then if the officer had to come back, he would probably cite me,'' Johnson said. ``I wonder if we're all being treated the same way.''
But Police Chief Charles Cameron said the ordinance is being enforced uniformly throughout the town, first with an initial call, then a warning, followed by a citation. Town officials plan to meet today with a consultant from East Carolina University to review the town's noise ordinance.
``I'm not convinced we've done all we can do,'' Cameron said. ``If there is a possibility to talk about solutions to this problem, we need to do that.''
In other action Wednesday, the commission:
Unanimously turned down a request for a conditional use permit for Speed and Spray Action Park. Owners of the facility had wanted to put personal water craft at the park. But after Cameron and Fire Chief Tim Morrison raised safety concerns, commissioners rejected the application.
Approved $5,600 to repair a pumper for the fire department.
Approved a plan to allow town employees to purchase home computers, with financing provided by the town. Employees would repay the town for the computers through payroll deduction. The money would be returned to the town's fund balance.
Discussed the town's future in the Albemarle Commission. Nags Head Commissioners Robert W. Muller, Doug Remaley and Mayor Pro Tem Lillie ``Doll'' Gray questioned the benefit of Albemarle membership to the municipality.
``I think we should start getting out,'' Remaley said.
Muller, however, expressed concern that the demise of the commission would signal a death knell for regional cooperation.
``It would be a shame to see the end of regionalism in northeast North Carolina,'' Muller said. by CNB