From Beats to Burdens: The City of Lock Haven’s Street Closure Controversy

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN— At Monday night’s Lock Haven City Council meeting, several city residents, business owners, and taxpayers gathered to express their concerns about a recent request to close Grove Street in the summer of 2025. Shaun Dale, the owner of The Old Corner Grill & Bottle Shop, had submitted the requests, having plans to host live music and offer outdoor dining at his establishment. Attendees expressed grievances about the noise levels from live music events held on the street over the past two summers and the impact of the street closure on nearby businesses. Questions were raised about the city’s noise ordinance, and tenants from nearby apartments voiced frustration about their inability to comfortably enjoy their weekends at home when bands perform on Grove Street.

At the previous City Council meeting on October 2, the council reviewed Dale’s request to close Grove Street from Willards Alley to East Church Street every weekend from Memorial Day until Labor Day during the summer of 2025— a total of 14 weekends. The street closure request, intended to facilitate outdoor dining and host live music, would take place from 3 p.m. on Fridays to 1:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Dale attended the October 2 meeting to answer any questions regarding his street closure request. Council Member Barbara Masorti inquired about any incidents or police reports during the events Dale hosted in the summer of 2024, and Dale reported that he had not received any complaints or encountered any issues involving the city police. Masorti requested that the council receive any future reports related to such events from the Chief of Police.

With that, the Council Members voted to add Dale’s street closure request to the October 21 City Council meeting agenda for further consideration.

During Monday night’s meeting, Dale’s requests were revisited, this time with a group of 10 city residents and business owners who attended to voice their concerns about Grove Street being closed every weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

First to address the council was Michelle McCain, who owns her primary residence on East Church Street in Lock Haven with an apartment behind it, approximately one door down from The Old Corner. “There are a couple of reasons I’m here. One is the music,” McCain said. “I don’t think we need to have it every weekend, every Friday and Saturday. I have grandchildren, and sometimes they stay with me. Putting a baby down and hearing blaring music constantly is not working,” she said. “Second, I have an older mom that stays with me also and she can’t go to sleep because the music is so loud.”

McCain mentioned that she has to park in a metered parking lot beside her home, which she prefers to use after her car was hit by a drunk driver while parked on East Church Street. The parking lot has also become an issue because of traffic caused by the closure of Grove Street. “We get a lot of through traffic because the alleys are blocked, so people think our parking lot is a way out, and we also have people parking in the parking lot that shouldn’t be there,” she explained. In addition, McCain reported that people attending the events held on Grove Street are causing a nuisance by walking through her yard. “It’s just not convenient to have it every weekend.”

Next to address the council was Mary Jo Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Beauty Salon, 215 N. Grove Street, situated directly behind The Old Corner. Johnson not only owns and operates her hair salon but also has tenants who live in the apartments on the second floor of her building. She emphasized that for the past two summers, her tenants have been unable to enjoy the weekends due to the loud music coming from The Old Corner’s events. Despite the nuisance, Johnson emphasized that she did not come to the meeting to ask that the Old Corner discontinue concerts on the weekends but rather to compromise.

“The loud music that flows through the apartments is unbearable,” Johnson stated, highlighting how the noise prevents her tenants from enjoying basic activities like watching TV, reading, talking on the phone, or entertaining friends and family. “They have had enough,” she emphasized. Johnson criticized the council for not foreseeing the potential impact on residents, asking, “Was there any thought given to someone who works third shift or somebody who has small children or babies that were on a sleep schedule that would be interrupted?” She expressed relief that her tenants hadn’t moved out and stressed the challenge she would face in renting the apartments to new tenants if they were informed that summer street events would interfere with their ability to enjoy their space on several weekends. She pointed out that potential tenants working third shifts or those with children would likely find the situation undesirable and asked, “How many people would want that?”

Johnson noted that when Davis Insurance installed a sign with bright lighting at their parking lot entrance, they had to notify everyone within a certain radius by sending letters. While those affected by the sign could pull curtains to block out the brightness, Johnson’s tenants have no way to escape the music on Grove Street. “I’m not sure if my building was overlooked, but my tenants, nor myself, got the cover letter that Kasey had said would be given out,” Johnson remarked. Kasey Dumm, Director of Community Life, clarified that issuing such letters is the responsibility of the business owners or the requestor, not her. Johnson countered, saying that during a 2023 City Council meeting discussing the same issue, different information had been provided.

“It was also puzzling to me that Don Powers came to [the] council in 2021 to close off the parking lot, Councilman Stevenson, you were adamant that Don clear that with me,” Johnson recalled, referencing a newspaper article that stated Powers couldn’t proceed without her approval. She noted that she was supportive at that time due to businesses adapting to strict COVID-19 restrictions.

In closing, Johnson expressed her gratitude that last summer, porta-potties and garbage cans were not placed against her building. She reiterated her request for a solution, stating, “Like I said, we’re asking for a compromise.”

John Fisher, a former East Main Street business owner of 20 years, began his statements by expressing that he would do anything to help generate revenue for businesses in downtown Lock Haven. Fisher explained that he came to the meeting to represent his daughter and her fiance, who live directly across from The Old Corner in an apartment building and are affected by the music from the events hosted by The Old Corner. “They’re on the third floor on the back side, and it’s still disturbing them,” Fisher said. He mentioned that because the couple works varying shifts, they need to be able to sleep during the hours that live bands are performing on Grove Street.

Fisher said that the couple has also encountered issues with people loitering on the stairway to their apartment, making it difficult for them to access their home. “There’s been many times where she’s tried to go up her stairs to her apartment, and there would be people sitting on the stairs,” he said. Fisher said this situation escalated to a verbal altercation at the end of last summer.

Fisher highlighted that other residents in his daughter’s apartment building, who work overnight shifts at First Quality, are also affected by the noise from the live bands.

Ed Englert, a tenant in one of Mary Jo Johnson’s apartments, addressed the council about his grievances. “Last year, if my arms were long enough, I could reach out and touch the stage right outside my living room window. It was so loud that my cat would run and hide. It was terrible,” he said. Englert said that he could not have company, read, or watch television because the music was too loud to have a conversation in his apartment. “Besides that, both of the porta-potties were right underneath my kitchen window,” he added.

Ed Nestlerode spoke to the council to address concerns about how the events hosted by The Old Corner impact 198 Shamrock Bar and Grille, located at 198 Shamrock Street in Lock Haven, which is owned by his kids. “We lost $9,300 in three months last year,” he said.

Nestlerode’s chief complaint is that the request proposes closing Grove Street for 14 consecutive weekends during the summer. “I have nothing [against] the bands that Shaun’s doing, but 14 weeks in a row? Why can’t we do the major holidays and give them three days? Why don’t you guys close Main Street more and make it more of a community thing where you can put the band in the middle of the street? They still have access to go down to Shaun’s place; they have access to go everywhere else,” Nestlerode pointed out.

“To me, it just feels very unfair to give one business 14 weeks,” Nestlerode said. “I’d just like to have a few weekends that we can make some money,” he added.

Richard Herman, another tenant living above Johnson’s Beauty Salon, echoed the concerns raised by Ed Englert about the disturbance caused by The Old Corner’s loud music. He pointed out that although Dale claimed to be unaware of any problems resulting from his street closure request and events during the October 7 council meeting, he never reached out to nearby residents to see if they were impacted. “We were here last year for the same thing, and it got brushed away,” Herman said. “It’s not about ruining something fun; it’s just about having a weekend or two to do what you want at home. That’s it.”

Howard Karichner, owner of Uncle Alberts on Vesper Street, addressed the council about how his business has been impacted. His position on the matter is that hosting the events every weekend on the same street is problematic for surrounding businesses. “Whenever things are going on there, that reduces my business and cash flow throughout the summer,” he said. Karichner explained that while he doesn’t necessarily oppose hosting events outside of The Old Corner, he believes they should be limited to avoid burdening nearby businesses and residents.

Karichner suggested that the events could potentially be moved around to different locations in the city so that the burden isn’t solely on the businesses and residents within close proximity to The Old Corner. “I wouldn’t mind having something like that on my street. I don’t know if that’s a possibility, but that would move it around a little bit, so it wouldn’t be such a burden on all the neighborhoods,” he said.

Yet another business owner and resident of the downtown Lock Haven area, Nick Hawrylchak of the Broken Axe Brew House, addressed council members with his concerns. Hawrylchak attended a city council meeting in late September of 2023 about his grievances regarding The Old Corner’s street closure requests, but the issues he raised fell on deaf ears, and no solution was provided.

During Monday’s meeting, Hawrylchak raised questions about the city’s noise ordinance. “I think the city needs to understand the noise ordinance they passed because [in] my understanding, you can correct me if I’m wrong, for the businesses that have licenses, it’s no audible noise passed 500 feet,” he asserted. “If the noise is audible about a mile away, then obviously that’s too loud for the neighbors.” Hawrylchak read the city’s noise ordinance during the meeting, which states that “the playing of amplified sound or musical instruments that are plainly audible beyond the property line is unlawful between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.”

Hawrylchak highlighted his belief that the city needs to be reasonable when considering how closing Grove Street for events at The Old Corner affects other businesses.“You’ve got to allow for other businesses to be prosperous, especially in a restaurant situation,” he said.

Last, Hawrylchak pointed out that businesses that host live music are required to have specific licenses to do so. He questioned whether The Old Corner pays for those licenses and asserted that all businesses should be following the same requirements. “I pay over $2,000 a year to have music. I know other places in town that have larger venues pay even more than that. I think it should be questioned as to whether somebody who’s having 400 to 600 people on the street is paying for those licenses because we all should be following those laws, so I think that should probably be investigated by the council before you move forward.” In response, City Mayor Joel Long conveyed that Hawrylchak’s questioning about licensure is not an issue that the city handles.

Vinnie Kishbaugh, owner of the Good Neighbor Craft House, addressed the council and stated that he is preparing to open a business downtown that’s focused on live music and weekend entertainment.

“Every one of the business owners that spoke tonight have space available within their business to hold a band as well as Mr. Dale; he has the same availability to hold music in his restaurant if he would like to,” Kishbaugh said. “[Just] because his business is smaller, it should not give him more of an opportunity than the rest of us.”

Kishbaugh pointed out that if the city allows street closures for one business, he should also have the right to request the same. He argued that all businesses should have equal opportunities for street use rather than only one having exclusive access.

“My license is a distributing license. If you’re shutting down the street, then that gives me the right to apply to the state for a festival license, which means I can take my brewery and set it up [on Grove Street]. I can sell my beer as a distributor because the city is shutting down that street for a festival or music event,” he said before questioning whether Dale would have an issue with him bringing his brewery to Grove Street to sell beer during his events.

In response to all of the questions and concerns that had been raised, Shaun Dale addressed all who voiced their concerns, as well as the city council. Dale defended his business practices and argued that other businesses have the same opportunities available to them if they choose to apply for them.

“City council, is it my understanding that everybody in this room, every business owner in this city, has the same opportunity that I have at The Old Corner, and they [can] apply to you for a special use permit to do what I do? Yes or no?” Mayor Joel Long responded, confirming that business owners do have the same opportunity.

Dale addressed Mary Jo Johnson’s concerns, saying that he has accommodated many things and that he’s seen her tenants enjoying the concerts he hosts. He said that he’d previously held discussions with Mayor Long about changing the location of the stage to the other end of the street, but they determined that relocating it there would make the noise even louder for residents in the apartments. Johnson argued that relocating the stage would help and urged Dale to try it to see how it works.

Regarding city ordinances, Dale then asked the council if he’s violated any city ordinances in the last two years that he’s been hosting live music on Grove Street, and Mayor Long confirmed that he has not. “We have abided by the noise ordinance at 11 o’clock. We did not go over that. The previous year, we had an issue of an overlap of half an hour with your city concerts. We adjusted that for this year, so we are accommodating,” Dale said. “We are accommodating for LH JAMS; we did not have concerts during LH JAMS,” he added.

Addressing Vinnie Kishbaugh’s comments, Dale stated that two businesses cannot serve alcohol on the same street. He explained, “Mr. Kishbaugh, I understand what you said there; however, when you shut down that street, my extension of my premises from the PLCB now includes Grove Street, so you cannot have two businesses serving alcohol on the same street.”

“City council, let me ask you another question: Has anybody in the last two years proposed or requested to shut down any public street to do what I do?” Dale challenged. After a brief silence hung in the air, Dale continued, stating, “That’s public record, and I’m going to answer for you because it has not.”

Dale argued that The Old Corner brings hundreds of people to the city every weekend, and he questioned why other businesses don’t try to capitalize on that by offering their own events. He said that if other businesses want to do the same thing as him, they should submit a request to the city, and he would be willing to split the time with them on the weekends to avoid competition between events.

“Mr. Hawrylchak, if you want to capitalize on it, ride on my coattails— offer a special to bring in business if you want to bring in business. Open your business more than 40 hours a week… I’m open 105,” Dale remarked. “We have a good thing going in this city, and people like it. If you want to do the same thing that The Old Corner does, please apply and ask. I have no problem whatsoever splitting my time on the weekends. If they want to have a weekend, and Nick has a weekend, and Vinnie has a weekend, okay, let’s make it fair, but here’s the thing, guys: no one has done it yet besides me.”

Hawrylchak reiterated a point he made to the city council in September 2023, explaining that when he collaborated with the Clinton County Arts Council to host events, he requested the use of the property at The Station Gallery across from his business. The city, however, asked him to schedule his events around other city happenings. “I was given three days, three weekends during the year when I did that, and I was happy with that; that was reasonable,” he stated. “I’m surprised that after the fact, somebody was allowed to use every Friday and Saturday the entire summer when I was asked to restrict myself to working around all the other city events and only host three events.”

Buddy Barzona, a Mill Hall business owner, advocated for a balanced approach that considers the needs of both the residents and the businesses rather than completely shutting down live entertainment in the city. He acknowledged both sides of the issue: the complaints about noise from residents and the benefits of having live entertainment for people who want to attend.

Barzona acknowledged that living above The Old Corner may not be the quietest place to live but argued that if someone chooses to rent in the city’s business district, they should expect some level of noise and activity. He asserted that noise complaints from live music exist everywhere, not just in Lock Haven, and that there has to be some compromise because the city shouldn’t take a step backward in the entertainment industry to appease people with complaints about the noise from The Old Corner’s events.

Council Member Heather Alexander was the first to address the crowd, and she proposed that the businesses work together with Downtown Lock Haven Inc. to coordinate event requests and schedules rather than having the city council negotiate between different businesses. She expressed that she sees the situation as an opportunity for the businesses to collaborate.

Mayor Joel Long, building on Alexander’s remarks, proposed creating a policy with a deadline for street closure requests. This would allow businesses to submit their requests, and the council could then meet to allocate dates, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to hold an event on city-owned streets. “If it’s open to everybody and we set some type of deadline [that you] have to have [the request] in, and we divide it up, I think that creates a more level playing field,” he said. “I’m just putting something forward for the council’s consideration,” he added.

Questions were raised about the 14 consecutive weekends approved for Dale to host live bands this summer, with someone asking, “What weekends are left for anybody else?” In response, Mayor Long repeated his suggestion for the city to establish a set of guidelines and allow the public to submit street closure requests in advance, ensuring a more equitable distribution of events.

Vinnie Kishbaugh suggested that, based on the complaints about the noise level, Dale compromises by holding concerts in the afternoon from noon until 3:00 p.m. “That’s when residents are out, and people can enjoy the downtown,” he said. “And then it’s not creating a noise ordinance issue for the people that are living in the apartments that are surrounding his business.”

To close the discussion, Mayor Joel Long called for a vote on Dale’s street closure requests for the weekends between Memorial and Labor Day 2025. Council Member Heather Alexander stated that she was voting in opposition, not because she disagrees with Dale’s requests but because she feels that it needs to be revisited by the council members. Council Member Stevenson voted in favor, while all other council members voted in opposition except for Mayor Joel Long, who abstained.

With the council having rejected Dale’s requests, it was announced that the upcoming city council meeting on Monday, November 4, will feature an agenda item to discuss the previously addressed issues and establish a deadline for submitting street closure requests.

After nearly an hour of discourse, Mayor Long stated that the meeting would move forward and paused briefly to allow those present for the debate about Dale’s street closure requests to leave if they wished. In the parking lot of City Hall, tensions escalated, and a heated verbal altercation ensued, prompting City Manager Greg Wilson to request the Lock Haven Police Department’s assistance.

Following the meeting, the city council held an executive session.