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Green Iguana Tries To Stifle Noise

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By B.C. MANION

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - In an effort to quell noise complaints, the Green Iguana, 9202 Anderson Road, is working to reduce sounds coming from its bar and grill.

The restaurant's actions follow an April 24 warning issued by the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission alleging noise violations.

A solution can't come soon enough for Amy James of Gardner Court Drive, who filed the complaint that led to the EPC's notice of alleged violations.

"I wish these people could come in my house for one night when their music is playing because then, maybe, they would have some compassion - once they realize, 'Hey, they're not lying. This is bad,' James said.

James said the music disturbs her, her husband and their two sons.

"My 10-year-old cannot go to sleep. He'd rather go to a friend's house, who lives far away," James said.

The EPC's inspection report, based on James' complaint, notes that sound levels exceeded limits in three categories on April 13, between 12:50 a.m. and 2 a.m.

The EPC took sound measurements on the A-scale, which most closely mimics what human ears hear, said Kay Strother, assistant director of the air division of the EPC.

The standard limit on that scale is 55 decibels; the measurement taken April 13 was 58 decibels.

Two other measurements taken on April 13 also exceeded standard limits, the report shows.

The EPC has a 65-decibel standard on the 63 Hz octave band, and the recorded reading was 88 decibels. The standard limit for the 125 Hz octave band is 65, and the recorded reading was 71 decibels, the report shows.

To address the issue, Green Iguana is installing French doors and sound-deafening materials in its tiki hut, said Alan Fosco, managing partner for G.I. Entertainment & Restaurants.

By Saturday, the company expects to have a series of French doors installed along the rear of the tiki hut and along its southern side.

Sound-deafening materials have been installed, enclosed in a 3-foot base on which the French doors are being mounted.

The French doors will allow the restaurant to preserve its waterside ambience, Fosco said. Unfortunately, there's no sound-deafening material that's transparent, he said.

The doors will be closed when bands are performing to try to block sound from going over the lake and echoing or amplifying as it hits the water, Fosco said.

The restaurant also has installed two 30-ton air conditioners so it can keep patrons cool when the French doors are closed.
Fosco said the Green Iguana has spent $40,000 to $45,000 trying to resolve the problem.

After Green Iguana completes its corrective actions, the EPC will go back, unannounced, to do sound measurements, Strother said.

James isn't the only one to complain about loud music emanating from the Green Iguana.

Between January 2007 and April 2008, EPC received 16 complaints from 11 households, Strother said.

Nine of the complaints came from eight households in Twelve Oaks. Six other complaints came from two homes north of Waters Avenue.

The only complaint that resulted in noise levels exceeding EPC standards was the one that came from James, who lives south of Waters, off Benjamin Road.

Strother said she knows that Green Iguana is taking action.

"I know they're making an effort to do something, and hopefully this will be effective," Strother said.

If the solution doesn't work, the EPC can pursue enforcement.

That often results in a legal agreement between the EPC and the violator to outline a plan of action and a deadline for achieving it, Strother said.

The goal is to resolve the problem.

"We're not in this to put people out of business," Strother said.

However, she noted, "In the noise world, these corrections can be costly."

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@tampatrib.com.

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