By Carol Britton Meyer

The new operator of the Paragon Boardwalk won approval for outdoor live music at the venue, but at reduced hours after neighbors raised concerns.

Paragon Entertainment Ventures, LLC’s new operating partner, Charles Veysey, asked the select board Wednesday to amend the license to permit outdoor entertainment, including live music –beyond the piped-in music that is already allowed. The property is owned by Hingham residents Chris and Diane Reale.

Noting the large audience for the hearing, Veysey explained his role in bringing the popular Cisco Brewers beer garden experience to the Paragon Boardwalk.

“Cisco is all about live music, a family-friendly environment, and cocktails,” he said.

Outdoor entertainment at this venue could include a DJ, karaoke, an amplification system, live, vocal, and instrumental music (up to five instruments – drums, guitar, and keyboard) and dancing by patrons on a 30-by-30-foot dance floor at the 183-197 Nantasket Ave. site. Indoor live music is already allowed.

Veysey’s request also included allowing live entertainment until 11 p.m. seven days a week. However, following a more than 1-1/2 hour discussion that involved comments from concerned neighbors about quality-of-life issues, the board voted 4 to 1 in favor of the following, effective through Oct. 13:

·       outdoor piped-in music only, Monday through Wednesday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and both piped-in and live music outdoors Thursday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

·       Monday and other legal holiday hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for outside piped-in and live music;

·       no outdoor light shows;

·       a requirement that Paragon Boardwalk make every effort possible to mitigate the outside noise from any kind of music and also work on a noise mitigation plan to be presented to the select board and Town Manager Philip Lemnios at a future time;

·       that Veysey provide contact information to neighbors and abutters in the event they have any noise complaints; and

·       that the volume of music be turned down in an effort to work cooperatively with the neighbors.

Select board member Irwin Nesoff voted against the motion because he thought the end time for the outdoor music should be 10 p.m. seven days a week.

When asked for his opinion as to the above hours, Veysey agreed “in the spirit of compromise.”

A large group of neighbors attended and one submitted a petition related to their concerns about live outdoor entertainment at this venue.

Concerns voiced at the meeting included the volume of the music and at what time it should be required to end, and difficulty hearing their televisions and radios and being unable to open their windows or sliders to get fresh air while the music is playing.

Some neighbors recalled noise issues that were brought up last year at the Boardwalk under a different operator and also concerns about the volume of the music at a recent event at this location.

Before the vote, resident George Murphy likened the request to allow live outdoor music to “a fire bell that we all better wake up to” and suggested that the town create a noise ordinance to assist with these types of discussions.

Following through with the discussion in the meeting, Veysey shared his contact information with neighbors and abutters in the hallway of town hall after completion of that part of the agenda.