Shh........

From the Sun-Sentinel-

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Not long after the first of many new condos opened downtown, it came ringing in: a complaint about noise.

Suddenly, the clangs, hoots, bass-thumps and guitar licks were invading the ears of people trying to sleep.

Trains and bridges and nightlife have rattled downtown with their sounds for years. But downtown is a residential neighborhood now.

The city is somewhat sympathetic to the residents, many of whom paid $500,000 or more to live in an urban setting. A noise consultant has been hired and soon city officials say they'll hold public hearings and vote on possible changes to existing noise laws.

But walking into a party and asking everyone to keep it quiet doesn't always go over well. And indeed, when downtown developers found out, they were rankled.

"When I lived in Avenue Lofts, I didn't call the hospital and say, `Do you mind not running those ambulances past my places three or four times a night?'" developer Alan Hooper said.

Having just spent two weeks in the hospital, I know all about hospital noise. Never go to a hospital expecting to get any rest.

Nor should people moving into a downtown or city area expect there not to be any noise. It comes with the area.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor(and former Knucklehead winner) Jim Naugle sums up the noise issue best.

"Let me get this straight, people moved into a place called Symphony House and are complaining about music?" he said. "You shouldn't expect to open your windows and hear birds chirping. This is a city."

Carolyn House and her husband bought at the Symphony House condo by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, but they can't stand the racket. House said she sometimes has to take a sleeping pill to escape the yelling and music coming from Second Street. The couple moved to the other side of the building, but there they can't cope with the industrial whining of the nearby swing bridge.

The whining appears to be going both ways. TFM has a simple solution. A warning to all potential downtown condo or home buyers. If you can't stand the noise- Don't move here.

Hat tip- Rick at SOTP
Linked to- Pirate's Cove, Bright & Early,