As a GS resident, I think that general activity noise should be expected, but I don’t believe that all noise levels, times, and sources should automatically be unlimited just due to the location.
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Disclaimer, this is in the “it will never happen” category but still.
I bet the problem is that the bars close at a set time, releasing the crowds from inside to outside, most folks with a few drinks in them and the party just keeps going outside. Honestly, I’m for no regulated end time, let the bars close whenever they want. The theory is that people trickle out and leave as some bars would be closing at staggered times.
That could avoid the rush for transportation (lyfts/ubers), reduce the incentives for drunk driving, and reduce the amount of people on the sidewalks, reducing the chances for “friction” between drunk people.
Would be an interesting social experiment. Again, I won’t see that happening here but I do think the 2am close time is a factor.
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This is another major issue that was discussed (bars all closing at 2) which is why city staff recommended not closing down Glenwood (say until 230 or 3) because they felt this would encourage late-night lingering. If everyone is just forced onto the sidewalks, they’re more likely to go home than if the road was closed off. I agree that your solution would help fix this, but sadly won’t ever happen.
One thing that is interesting is that the State just passed a law to allow these drinking districts (can carry around beverages outdoor). I thought this would’ve been perfect for GS, being that it really is the central bar area for Raleigh, but I highly doubt now with all of these complaints from the community that the city will look to create one of these districts here.
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What’s good for the Goose is not always good for the Gander. While I agree letting bars decided when to close might be a good idea to try on Glenwood South, this would probably have a negative impact on the remainder of the city. Currently the city already has trouble enforcing the after-hours cash only alcohol sales at a couple select bars in Raleigh, with last night being a horrible example of what can happen. Both incidents happened after closing at 3:30am and 4:30am.
The city is serving two gods here. They clearly want residents in the district, and that has been happening for nearly 2 decades now. All of that new housing fulfilled a huge city goal of attracting a grocer downtown. IMO, the city can’t just throw those residents to the wolves now by not managing the real issues that are increasingly getting out of hand in the district and that the residents face daily. I get that city wants a vibrant district for nightlife, but I don’t subscribe that it requires that we must accept whatever comes with it as a matter of course. It’s all about balance.
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Sorry…I don’t subscribe to an “it might be okay for Glenwood South but not for others” narrative. Deciding that one part of the city is where all problems are pushed so that other parts of the city don’t have to deal with it isn’t a solution that I am willing to accept. Are shootings okay for my neighborhood?
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I was alluding to Glenwood South as a whole allowing bars to choose when they close to avoid the max-exodus and cattle herding effect of every bar closing at 2am. That’s not the case really anywhere else in Raleigh, Fayetteville St. had this for a couple years, but is now gone.
I don’t think allowing a random bar behind Red Lobster on Wake Forest Rd. to decide when to close their bar is the best idea.
Either way, I personally don’t think any bar in Raleigh should be allowed to serve alcohol on a Wednesday night until 4:30am. Just my opinion.
Personally, I don’t think that allowing bars to close whenever they want will solve anything. It will just assure that folks will drink until whenever that time is, and that the bars will play a game of keeping up with the Joneses by all moving their closing times to the latest one of their competition.
I have been to some cities that have very strict closing times (CA, MA) where they literally turn on the lights, yank the drink out of your hand, and put you on the street en masse. That never felt like the right solution. I have also seen the crime/trouble/problems that arise in places with very late closing times as well.
Perhaps bars and clubs need a last call time that’s 2AM, but are open for another hour for folks to drink those drinks, have a bottle of water, hit the restroom, and not all funnel onto the streets at the same time. The district is missing neighborhood diners and late night eats places that could also be used for folks to sober up with some food, coffee, and time before jumping in their cars.
In the end, sending folks out on the street and into their cars just moments after taking their last sip of alcohol is a huge problem. This is an issue regardless of whether they are trickling out or leaving at the same time.
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That’s a strip club behind Red Lobster, and they don’t serve alcohol after 2am. No bar/club in the city does as far as I know. They close at 5-6am. The other bar further down the street where the first shooting was is called The Bison Bar. They close at 2am also. Sometimes people will hang out outside until 2:30-3am though, so I’m assuming that’s what was happening last night when the shooting occured.
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It sure is! Even in NH I can hear the cars with modified exhaust racing (and sometimes crashing) on the beltline and Six Forks but I just put in my earplugs and go back to sleep. Problem solved! Police have much more important things to do than protect downtown residents from noise. Now if you want the police to sit there on a dark corner and pull over every drunk driver leaving the bars, that sounds like a good idea to me since that’s actually a safety issue.
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Taken from:
https://raleighnc.gov/Community/content/HousingNeighborhoods/Articles/Nuisances.html
The City of Raleigh Police Department is responsible for addressing all noise complaints. If you are concerned with disruptive noise in your area, call the police department at 919-831-6311 to file a complaint.
Also, this is the first time that I have seen a number to call the police other than the 911
I like this solution. It seems counterintuitive but I think it’d work. An example would be in a city like New Orleans, which doesn’t have an end to alcohol sales. In many cases, there’s a peak of activity near the beginning of the night but none later in the night. An added benefit is that there’s usually the option to go to other parts of the city for a nightcap.
I think ‘night ambassadors’ could be another solution (which may already be in use) to guide people to parking, answer questions, and politely respond to any issues.
Closing the bars later than alcohol sales end seems like an obvious idea. As well as have more places for people to safely and legitimately linger.
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It’s not 911 because it’s not as important as all the other things that happen in a city. This sounds a lot like people on Nextdoor who bitch about barking dogs at night. Use ear plugs.
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It was and is not my intention to touch what appears to be such a sensitive nerve for you!
Simply offering the number that the City of Raleigh “provides” for this type of concern.
Something that is NOT “911” 
What’s weird is the inconsistency between complaining about noise when you live in DTR and knew what you were getting into by moving there…versus the same people suggesting that NH residents should “just move” and “cash in” if they don’t like that a high rise or parking garage or multiple dumpsters now border the house they’ve lived in for 30 years which I would argue was not that foreseeable. I was actually really surprised by this topic and especially the idea that the police should be called for noise in DTR.
And I’m using “you” in the general sense not specifically referring to you individually.
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As someone who lives in a downtown neighborhood and has had to call the police nonemergency line for noise in the past (that is the city’s process for handling noise ordinance violations, flawed as it may be), there is a point at which noise becomes more than what’s reasonable for people who live in a downtown area. Sirens multiple times a day/night? Fine. Trains? Fine. Red Hat concerts? Fine. We also hear the drag racing on Western. It’s intermittent and annoying (and dangerous), but it doesn’t keep me up all night.
There used to be a nightclub where Junction West is now that would play music so loud we (and our neighbors) could hear it inside our bedrooms with noise machines and earplugs from 0.2 mi away on the other side of the railroad wye. Crazy, I know, but the place is an old warehouse and acoustics are a bitch. They cranked it up after 11pm and it was like it was across the street not 0.2 mi away. They eventually turned it into a “gentleman’s club” and would continue from 2am to 6am Thursday through Sunday. I don’t think we were being unreasonable when we could hear the music for literal hours on end at times when most people tend to sleep.
The neighbors attempted to come to an agreement with the owner, but he just insincerely offered to soundproof people’s bedrooms. The city would fine him for noise ordinance violations, but he just considered it a cost of doing business. There was no penalty for repeat offenses. I’m sure an hour of drink sales covered those measly fines no problem. The only way there was a resolution was when they had their liquor license pulled for ABC violations.
There has to be a balance. Not being able to sleep four nights a week (despite doing everything possible to live with the noise) is untenable and definitely doesn’t make downtown feel like a good place to live.
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@Deb is spot on. I would also add that some of the noise goes against the noise ordinances for the city. I think it’s reasonable for home owners to expect a certain level of lawfulness. I would consider that very different from a lawful process being followed to build buildings.
Now, if the city changed the noise ordinances to something that I didn’t agree with and didn’t like, then yes it would be on me to move. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable for homeowners to expect laws that are on the books to be enforced.
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I agree with this completely. The obnoxious car peel outs and races, which even happen during the week sometimes, are my only complaint about Glenwood South living.
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How does everyone feel about changing Glenwood Ave South to more match that of Hillsborough Street? 
Having Round-a-bouts?
Widening the sidewalks
Having and actual three foot wide median?
Would those options help?
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I’m not sure you could get roundabouts into the heart of GWS. It’s a traffic nightmare weekend evenings and frankly a little dangerous for pedestrians (which is why they have ‘No Left Turns’ from 10pm to 3am). I’d love to get rid of the on-street parking and expand the sidewalks, but I’m sure the establishments would balk at the idea.
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