Liquor Control Board to rule on East Deer noise exemption

Whether East Deer can enforce its noise ordinance regarding amplified music is now in the hands of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

The LCB held a hearing Wednesday on a township request that, if granted, would allow East Deer to enforce its own noise regulations instead of the state’s.

East Deer approved its own noise ordinance in June, in part due to Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s plans to build an outdoor amphitheater to host live concerts, officials said. The stage would be located behind the property facing the Allegheny River, to the right of the distillery.

In June, the East Deer commissioners said they adopted the noise ordinance with the intent to prevent excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise within the township. It allows for outdoor events but only if the organizers give at least a week’s notice. Events would need to end before midnight, and violators would be subject to fines.

At its meeting Aug. 3, the commissioners announced their intent to seek the LCB exemption. The LCB approved 14 petitions last year; it has approved six this year.

At Wednesday’s hearing, no one from the public spoke either for or against the noise ordinance.

Matt Mazefsky, an attorney representing Pittsburgh Brewing Brewing, testified that plans for outdoor events are still being developed. He estimated the brewery would host about four to eight events per year and that there could be bands and live music at such events.

Mazefsky said many events would be scheduled during daytime hours, concluding by 7 or 8 p.m. He said the events would be open to the community and that the brewery wants to be good neighbors to East Deer.

Asked by hearing examiner John Mulroy, Mazefsky said the community has been accommodating to the brewery, and he thinks there’s been excitement for the brewery’s projects.

“I think they’re excited to have a new business coming in,” Mazefsky said.

The brewery has conducted noise tests, Mazefsky said. All have met the township’s noise ordinance.

Mike Naviglia, chief of the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department which services East Deer, said it would not be overly burdensome to enforce the township’s noise ordinance regarding amplified music.

He testified there have been no noise complaints since the township enacted its new noise ordinance this summer.

Justin Blake, counsel for the LCB, said the board will render a decision before Oct. 9.