Green Light For Cafe’s Outdoor Blues

Outdoor concerts can proceed at The Blues Garden at Tubs Cafe, a City Council committee ruled Monday evening.

The General Services Committee found no evidence that the Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive bistro, bar and beer garden had violated its outdoor concert permit. In fact, City Councilman Kevin Packard last week pointed out that the cafe owners, Kelly and Tom Sullivan, had not had an opportunity to use the permit.

Motel owners near the Tubs Cafe asked the City Council to reconsider the permit. They say they fear that the noise from the blues tunes will drive business away.

In addition, they fear that their customers will pull off of Interstate 90, which is in their back yard, see the concert stage and take their business to other motels.

The beer garden concert area will be difficult to see from Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive. An 8-foot tall fence will surround most of the area.

The Sullivans are building a 7-foot tall sound wall behind the small stage to further contain the sound.

The city ordinance requires that the surrounding commercial area not hear music louder than 65 decibels. That has to be measured a minimum of 20 feet from the beer garden.

Tom Sullivan purchased a decibel meter to keep an ear on the concerts. During a demonstration last week, he showed that passing traffic on the interstate and on the four-lane street in front of the cafe easily exceeds 70 decibels.

Tubs is bringing in only blues acts. The outdoor concerts begin Friday with Smokey Wilson at 5:30 p.m.

There are concerts scheduled each Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer.

Shows will end at 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and at 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

, DataTimes