Outdoor music ban to go into effect for St. Charles microbreweries in industrial districts next to residential areas

New rules apply to D and G Brewing Company

Microbreweries in St. Charles located in industrial districts next to residential areas can no longer have outdoor entertainment.

Aldermen at Tuesday’s St. Charles City Council meeting approved the ban after receiving noise complaints from residents living near D and G Brewing Company, located at 303 N. 4th St. Suite A in St. Charles. They had unanimously recommended the prohibition at the City Council’s Planning and Development Committee meeting on Aug. 16.

During last month’s Planning and Development Committee meeting, D and G Brewing owner Alexander Drayer voiced his concerns about the ban on outdoor entertainment. Drayer said he could cut off the music at 8 p.m. as a compromise.

“There have been a few complaints coming from specific residents, but there are also many residents that love what we’re doing,” he told aldermen. “I just feel like we could come to this compromise and say 8 p.m. And even if we made that compromise, 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, we’re willing to work with that and do that. But to cut it off and say, no, we’re not going to allow that, that means that some breweries that are able to do it will have an advantage in business over us. If a nearby resident were to have live music in their backyard, they would be able to have music until 10 p.m.”

Matthew King, who lives on State Street, two doors away from D&G Brewing, said he hasn’t had any problems with D and G Brewing Company. His back deck faces the business.

“Never once have I had to pick up empty beer bottles from my lawn placed there by Alex’s customers,” King told aldermen. “Nor have I had to call St. Charles Police to chase down a drunk driver that has fled my property because I caught them relieving themselves on my front flower bed. These problems I have had come from the clientele of restaurants, bars and clubs downtown that are in fact committing noise violations as late as 1 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Not once have I taken issue with the sound level of amplified music coming from his establishment.”