GREENDALE FORUM

There's been discussion about this before, however I'd like to find out what residents within earshot of the bell tower music from the Country Store Outlet/Reiman Visitors Center think.

The chimes in the bell tower ring the time every half hour - on the hour the chimes ring one per hour, on the half past it rings only once. (Currently the chimes have been off by one hour since we set our clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time on March 14.)

In addition to the time, chime music plays 3 times per day, 7 days per week. The chime music plays the same songs for each of the 21 times per week, over the course of several months. Each time the music is played it lasts 15-20 minutes.

QUESTIONS For residents in the A, B, C or even D and E Sections that can hear the clock tower music:

1. Does the repetition of the music bother you at all?

2. Does the volume of the music bother you?

3. How many times per day do you hear the bell chime music (1, 2 or 3)?

4. Did you notice that the chimes for the time was off by an hour this spring?

4a. If yes to #4, have you noticed the clock being off by an hour when we changed DST in years past?

5. Have you ever wanted to complain about the bell chime music?

6. Would you miss the bell chime music (not time chimes) if it was discontinued?

Please take the time to post an answer. It will be most appreciated. Also, ask your neighbors to add their comments.

1. No, I really have never noticed!

2. Not at all, but then again I live in the E-section.

3. Once usually.

4. No, didn't really pay attention.

5. No, I will answer down below!

6. It really doesn't matter.

Ok, now to sound off! I really don't care about the chimes. I think it adds a nice little touch to the air around us. Sure the village could fix the time when it rings, but its fine by me. Now I question why are we complaining about this. If it was a church in the village with chimes, we we complain about that. Prob not! So hike up the skirt and don't worry about it!

Actually, St. Luke's Lutheran Church on Northway played music (seasonal) and chimes prior to services. You cannot even imagine the complaints which were received, especially from those who did not want to hear Christian music - IN GREENDALE!!! HOW TRULY PATHETIC IS THAT??

The daily repetition of music from the bell tower is annoying and it's against Village Code, specifically:

Chapter 9.06 of the Greendale Municipal Code:
No person shall make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise or any noise which unreasonably either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the limits of the Village.

Radios, phonographs, etc. Using, operating or permitting to be used, played or operated any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such a manner as to unreasonably disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants or at any time with louder volume than is reasonably necessary for convenient hearing for the person or persons who are in the room, vehicle or area in which such machine or device is operated and who are voluntary listeners thereto.

The operation of any such set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device in such manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the building, structure or vehicle in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.

I have nothing against the business just the music that gets played three times a day, seven days per week, every week of the year (and I've heard the same songs for almost 7 years now!). It's against code and it's got to go.

I do NOT think the chimes are set to "unreasonably disturb the peace" I believe they were put in place to add a sense of neighborhood in the community. And if you want to pull "code" then I guess we should eliminate the sirens and gunshots during the 4th of July and Village Days Parades. You know those noises are produced and reproduced that are unreasonably disturbing the peace! I also do believe those are within the 50 feet rule as well!

Just saying!

So if I played a selection of 4 songs loud enough to be heard around the village 3 times per day, seven days per week I'd be adding a sense of community? If you were my neighbor would you like that? You wouldn't. You'd call the police.

The clock has been off by an hour for 6 weeks (and counting). How does that add to the community? What do visitors think when they hear 3 bells at 4:00 pm?

I agree being off by an hour is silly. That could be fixed! I am just saying, that I do not think this is a problem anywhere else really! I do not think churches across the City of Milwaukee, the State, the Country or the World face the same nonsense this topic addresses. Just the other day I was in downtown Milwaukee and I could hear three churches around me chime on the hour. I did not have a problem. One thing Greendalers need to do is get their heads out of their own butts. All I have noticed my hole life living here is that a core group of residents find something new to complain about. Do you not have anything better to do? Really now? 27 years of living in the E section, I never once had a problem hearing the chimes, hearing the Football game on Friday nights, or other things. Its just life. Get over it!

I used to rent down in the village and those bells drove me out - its amazing how quickly they get on your nerves. good luck trying to turn them off! (never happen)

1. Does the repetition of the music bother you at all? No, I would like to hear more selection though

2. Does the volume of the music bother you? Not at all, beautiful background music compaired to the neighbors blasting their radio

3. How many times per day do you hear the bell chime music (1, 2 or 3)? 3 at least

4. Did you notice that the chimes for the time was off by an hour this spring?
Nope, not at all

4a. If yes to #4, have you noticed the clock being off by an hour when we changed DST in years past?

5. Have you ever wanted to complain about the bell chime music? Never!
6. Would you miss the bell chime music (not time chimes) if it was discontinued? VERY much so. Its is a beautiful sound and we LOVE it.C-Section

I will begin to worry about enforcement of the Noise Abatement Statutes w.r.t. chimes right after they enforce the same statues against the blasted teenagers with those WHOMPA-WHOMPA super-amped-bass car stereos in their cars at the High School. They drive out of the high school parking lot at 2:30 every day. You can hear them loud enough to disturb conversations 2 blocks away as the kids tool down the street enroute to 76th Street and Loomis Rd.

Or when they enforce the STOP SIGNS MEAN STOP rules for the stops between the high school and Loomis or 76th street. Don't even think about trying to cross the street when school is letting out. And the kids will CURSE YOU OUT if you call them on it when they glide through the stop sign at 15 mph.

Yeah, I'm old. Cuz, ya know, like the bumper sticker says:
If the music's too loud, you're too old.