Stop Weaponizing Music: Allow Music to Bring Hope & Healing

Let's celebrate together and respect our health. And turn down the volume

Great outline of a problem that I know many people are negatively impacted by. For me being subjected to 10-12 hours of amplified noise at times living by Lake Merritt has impacted my health both physically and mentally. It has been extremely hard and at no point will I get used to something that is hurting me. We need to take the health issues associated with noise pollution seriously here as they are in Europe so we can exist together in a safe and healthy way.

The amplified music by Lake Merritt--day and night--is not only harmful to people. The Lake was the first designated wildlife refuge in America, and threatens the health and welfare of our local wildlife.

It goes beyond the lake... I work downtown, and lately apartments near my office blast music so loud I can hardly concentrate at work. This is new, just in the past year or so. Music is literally my job - I want Oakland to embrace its place in Music history, not continue discord. Let's learn to respect one another.

Decades of studies show that noise damages hearing and health (See hyperlinks in solution). The public needs to be educated about the dangers.People should still be allowed to make noise, just as they are still allowed to smoke, but not where others are exposed involuntarily to unhealthy levels. Instead of ending the health conversation by blaming individuals who speak up about the physical harm from loud music, let’s work together as a community to promote health and enjoy our music culture.

Music should be used to bring hope and healing not scare people

The need and love for music in our lives should never be abused.

public health hazard!

The statutes that exist for nuisance noise do not address nuisance noise as a health hazard. While reinforcing the current statutes, they should be rewritten as a public health issue. How about signs posted around the lake as well as media outlets succinctly informing the public of how these new statutes will be enforced? For those of us who live on the lake, many of the loud music cars are the same cars we usually see.

Even while reading this right now, there is incessant extremely loud music being pumped from speakers a block away along the lake. The irony is that it is not a huge party..it is merely two people but with the powerful speakers being sold today, the noise made by two people can affect hundreds of people living on nearby streets who cannot work, relax or sleep because of "music" that permeates their homes. "Weaponizing" is not really an exaggeration and this is something that must be addressed .

I've heard this is an issue, especially around Lake Merritt, but possibly also in neighborhoods and other parks. Could Oakland post something about the volume of music in several areas at the park, so it's clear what the rules are? Or perhaps even have the rules and regulations of Lake Merritt itself, which are posted at certain areas of lake, be updated to include a maximum volume level of amplified music.

This solution is well thought out, well written, sensible and could be easily implemented. In the process it would facilitate bringing people together and reminding us that we are one people with the same needs for health,m wellness and safety.

Those of us who live on the Grand Ave - Bellevue Ave side of the lake experience groups of people coming and going until 2AM out of the liquor store and hookah lounge that seats loud parties on the balcony at Grand & Perkins. The parties and loud music continue in the liquor store parking lot most nights even past 2AM; basically an open air bar. Being a mixed use area, mostly residential, is it possible for these businesses to be monitored better? Does the neighborhood need 2AM liqour?

This is the number one issue for me. I would like to see more enforcement of the statues that are already established. I believe direct contact with law-enforcement over a long period of time, maybe one or two years probably more, would be the best solution. How about educating those who are the violators?. If you get a citation for noise nuisance, then you would have to take a course, and pass it, on the health considerations of amplified music. Something like they do for DUI.

Remedying this environmental hazard through the methods proposed will vastly improve quality of life for all the people and wildlife in Oakland.

Cities are often full of noise. But excessive, frequent loud music is Unacceptable. Let’s find a way like this proposal to solve this problem.

Music appreciation all the way

There's a drummer that plays for 5+ hours every Thursday with amplification. Thousands of people live within earshot and sound reverberates through apartment buildings. There has to be a better solution that serves the community and not one individual drummer.