Stop Excessive Noise in our Residential Community

We, the undersigned, reside at 777 7th St, NW, a condo complex known as the Residences at Gallery Place. This building sits on 7th Street between G and H Streets NW.

We endure a great deal of excessive noise, particularly on the corners of 7th/G St and 7th/H St. There is already an existing ordinance regarding acceptable decibel levels for noise in residential areas. The procedure for getting a measurement of decibels is unduly cumbersome and yet police officers that patrol the area agree that amplified sound easily violates the allowable levels. Further, officers also state that their precinct captains will not give an order to disperse violators and that this refusal is backed by the mayor’s office.

Indeed, the noise in some condos is so loud that the floors shake, and has contributed to medical conditions including hearing loss, headaches, and even mental confusion. Some of our condos are in such close proximity to the performance area, that noise, with the addition of amplifiers, pipes directly into our homes even when the windows are closed. These are public health concerns and deny residents the right to enjoy their homes including using their balconies or leaving their windows open during warm weather seasons.

Since all street performers must have a city-granted permit, these performers are also violating this expectation of the governance of the metropolitan area. The permits must be in the name of the performers who are playing and these permits must be on their person at all times and they must be able to produce them on request. Area businesses also suffer from customer and staff exposures to the noise and the nuisance these performers create by intentionally clogging up the street with audiences who are prevented from moving freely along the crowded sidewalks of 7th street NW. This must not continue. Unnecessary anxiety is being caused by this situation, and the conditions are often unsafe, with pedestrians forced to walk on the road to circumvent the highly congested performance areas.

For these reasons, we propose that the city take action, as described below.

1. All non-amplified noise above normal threshold level should cease at 8:00 pm instead of the current 10:00 pm curfew.

2. Amplified noise should be completely prohibited at all times. Amplified noise is defined as the use of: microphones, speakers and amplifiers.

3. When performers show up we ask that police check on their possession of appropriate permits and disband if those permits are not in place.

4. Performers with amplifiers should be asked to unplug and megaphones should be turned down to acceptable levels in compliance with existing ordinances.

5. There are many places to play along 7th street NW and the parallel streets of G and H. Performers should be asked to relocate away from residences.


These changes would protect the rights of everyone without the need for arrests while also clearing this part of the sidewalk from excessive noise production. It would also protect the well being of those who live in the city, while still allowing for significant ambient noise in a very busy neighborhood. We hope to see existing legislation enforced and new legislation, if necessary, passed to protect the rights of all involved.