Deep Ellum has been a cornerstone of culture for decades, a place where art, entertainment and music meet.
“From the graffiti on the walls and the murals to the bars to the live music to the DJs, that’s what defines Deep Ellum,” said DJ Michael Roos.
But as nightlife returns to the district, several recent visits from code compliance visits for music heard from the street, business owners like Allen Falkner fear the neighborhood’s identity may disappear.
“Music is the elixir of life down here, so the idea of walking around Deep Ellum and hearing the silence makes no sense at all,” said Falkner.
Falkner said the rise in noise complaints was relatively new.
However, according to the city of Dallas, the code that limits amplified music has not changed.
This includes the prohibition of loud and annoying noises or vibrations that “damage the normal perception of the residents of the city” and loudspeakers that impair the “enjoyment of life or property”.
“The nightlife is quite vibrant in certain business districts of our city, and that’s fantastic, but sometimes we get complaints from neighbors when it goes beyond peace and quiet,” said Carl Simpson, Director of Code Compliance.
Simpson said his department’s enforcement has increased since this spring when they assisted the Dallas police force after a surge in calls related to noise complaints.
He believes this is due in part to the area’s growth as a residential, work, and play area.
But a petition that now has more than 5,000 signatures argues that Deep Ellum should be more lenient as an entertainment district.
“If you want to enforce rules and regulations, great. But make them so that we can understand them and make them reasonable. Deep Ellum is different from the rest of the city and I can’t stress that enough, ”said Falkner.
Falker is part of a recently organized task force led by City Councilor Jesse Moreno, which will meet next week to find a solution.
Simpson was also invited to participate.
So far, he said there were no exceptions to the code for any neighborhood in Dallas.