DOVER, Del.- Organizers of an event that takes place about the same time as Dover's Firefly Music Festival are coming under fire from some neighbors and a Kent County commissioner over noise complaints.
Levy Court commissioners on Tuesday held a lengthy discussion about nuisance noise laws in light of "Afterfly," a multi-day musical and camping event held near Dover off Persimmon Tree Lane that is not affiliated with AEG Worldwide's annual music festival in Dover.
Organizers of Afterfly most recently held an event they said was for charity and to raise awareness for suicide prevention. That event drew the ire of some neighbors who said families and people who live in the area are bombarded with loud music and inappropriate language.
"They get on the microphone---the DJs do---and yell profanities which...you can certainly hear it two houses down," said Eddie Eichholz, who lives near the property where Afterfly is held.
Some neighbors contend loud music has been played at the property after 11 p.m., as permitted by special event restrictions in county law.
However, musician and Afterfly organizer Raeshaun Godwin said he has gotten the proper permits for events at the property and denied loud music is being played through speakers after 11 p.m.
Instead, Godwin said any music played at the event after 11 p.m. can only be heard through wireless headphones --- like the kind used at Firefly's silent disco.
"At this point I don't understand why they are taking measures to single out my event," he said.
Commissioner Allan Angel (D-Dover) said he wants the county to take steps to ensure its noise laws can be enforced and suggested code enforcement personnel be available on call to properly document noise levels needed to cite property owners, as required by county law.
Additionally, Angel said he thinks the county should consider taking steps to make it more difficult for violators of the noise ordinance to receive special event permits.
"We have a noise ordinance but we have teeth," he said. "We have no way of going out and enforcing it."
