To: Members of the City Council

From: Tiffany Wang, Consultant of Acoustics

Date: October 6, 2015
Subject: Four Oaks Pavilion, 2015
Dear City Council,
Enclosed is the investigative report concerning the case of Four Oaks
Pavilion. This report contains an in-depth analysis of the problems surrounding the
amphitheater and the solutions recommended to solve these issues.
The investigative report is organized so that the problems encompassing the
entertainment facility are discussed in great detail and the solutions provided are
taken into consideration of cost and time completion. The report gives
recommendations based on a short-term need and a long-term need.
The problems encompassing Four Oaks Pavilion are the following:

Increased traffic in the residential area

Loud noise during concerts and shows
Unauthorized and lack of parking due to space
Lack of communication between the City Council, Kramer
Associated, and the residents of Hartville

The recommended solutions for each of these problems is included in a

short-term and long-term courses of action. The short-term course of action
takes into consideration cost-efficiency and the urgency of time. The ideal
course of action would be to introduce law enforcement, construct a noise
reflective barrier between the amphitheater and the neighborhood, create
relations with a shuttle service provider and create a separate branch within
the City Council to address residential concerns. The long-term course of
action considers the longevity of the problems and the most efficient
methods to address the issues. It recommends the implementation of an
automated parking system, the construction of a noise reflective barrier, the
addition of parking garages and installing a universal electronic complaint
management system.

It is with the upmost hope that these recommended courses of action will
help the City Council of Hartville, North Carolina address the increasing
concerns surrounding Four Oaks Pavilion and improve their relations with
the surrounding residents. If any further information is needed, I may be
reached at 407-000-0000 or by e-mail at consultantAcoustics@gmailcom.
Thank you,
Tiffany Wang

Four Oaks Pavilion

Investigative Report
2015

Prepared by Tiffany Wang

Consultant of Acoustics

Report Distributed October 6, 2015

Prepared for
The City Council of Hartville, North Carolina

Table of Contents

1) Table of Contents................3
2) Background Information and Summary of Complaints..............4
3) In-Depth Analysis of Problems...........5
Problem 1: Increased traffic in residential areas ...5
Problem 2: Loud noise emanating from Four Oaks Pavilion.5
Problem 3: Unauthorized and lack of parking..6
Problem 4: Lack of Communication.6

4) Suggested Solutions and their Implementation...8

Problem 1 Solution A.......8
Problem 1 Solution B.......8
Problem 2 Solution A.......9
Problem 2 Solution B.....10
Problem 3 Solution A.....10
Problem 3 Solution B.....11
Problem 4 Solution A.12
Problem 4 Solution B.12
Problem 4 Solution C.13
5) Recommendations......14
Short-Term Course of Action...14
Long-Term Course of Action...14

6) Works Cited...16

Background Information and Summary of Complaints

A 20,000 seat entertainment amphitheater called Four Oaks Pavilion was recently built in
the city of Hartville, North Carolina. Kramer Associates, a firm with extensive experience in
maintaining entertainment facilities, manages Four Oaks Pavilion. For the first five years,
Kramer Associates and the City Council of Hartville will share the profits from the entertainment
facility. Anytime thereafter, the City Council will own Four Oaks Pavilion outright. Although,
the amphitheater was built in the hopes of revitalizing the surrounding area and providing much

needed jobs, it has created several problems among the residents of the neighborhood located
near Four Oaks Pavilion.
Though Four Oaks Pavilion has created much needed revenue, the residents in the
surrounding area have filed complaints against the entertainment facility. The neighborhood
consists of retirees who have resided there for over 20 years and families with children who
attend school. Being a well-established and quiet residential area, it is understandable as to why
these residents are filing complaints against Four Oaks Pavilion. These complaints consist of
loud noise emanating from concerts, rowdy behavior from goers, increased traffic and
unauthorized parking in the neighborhood. In addition, residents have felt that their concerns go
unheard, which leads to another problem of lack of communication between the City Council,
Hartville residents and Kramer Associates. Despite these growing issues, the closure of Four
Oaks Pavilion is not plausible due to its economic contribution to the city. Therefore, it is with
the upmost hope that solutions can be found that will alleviate or mitigate these problems for the
surrounding residents of Hartville.

In-Depth Analysis of Problems

Four Oaks Pavilion was built with the idea of generating revenue and creating much
needed jobs. Although it has achieved this goal, the amphitheater has encountered several issues
specifically dealing with the residents of Hartville, North Carolina. Among these issues were the
following:
1) Increased traffic in the residential area

2) Loud noise during concerts and shows

3) Unauthorized and lack of parking due to inadequate space
4) Lack of communication between the City Council, Kramer Associates and residents
Problem 1: Increased traffic in residential areas
Due to concerts and shows being held often at Four Oaks Pavilion, the amount of traffic
has increased considerably in residential areas surrounding the entertainment facility. The
neighborhood streets are packed with cars on both sides and in front of households. Residents
complain of unknown vehicles loitering along their streets and of damages being done to their
lawns. Being a family friendly area, it is also unsafe for children to be out as cars filled with
concert goers are driving through the streets as it is possible that they do not observe the speed
limit signs. In addition, when concerts are being held, it is the usual practice for those that are
attending to arrive well before the show is scheduled to start. Therefore, due to early arrivals, the
traffic issue is escalating for the residents. A trip home that should have taken no more than
twenty to thirty minutes is now increasing to an hour or an hour and a half. Due to these serious
issues that pertain to increased traffic and the safety of the children of residents, measures are
being taken.
To alleviate traffic congestion, several solutions have been researched that will help to
mitigate this issue. The idea behind these solutions is to increase traffic control. One such
solution is to introduce law enforcement to reduce or eliminate the presence of concert goers in
the neighborhood and control rowdy behavior from crowds. Another solution is to introduce an
automated parking system if there is a parking garage present.
Problem 2: Loud noise emanating from Four Oaks Pavilion
Since concerts and shows are being held two to three times a week, it is expected that it
will be quite noisy during those times. Because of this, families with school children are
especially concerned due to the loud noise keeping their children awake at night. One such
resident, Greg Jones, has complained that the noise level emanating from the concert hall reaches
him even when he is sitting on the front porch of his house. Although a study had been
conducted to reduce the sound projecting from the entertainment facility, it was not enough.
There were two solutions that the consultants recommended the construction of a berm and
planting pine trees on top of said berm. Unfortunately, this was inadequate and did little to mask
the loud noise coming from the amphitheater. A large issue with these solutions were that they
were implemented based on a separate experiment pertaining to a shopping center. A shopping
mall and an outdoor amphitheater are very different structures and should therefore require two
different studies, which was not done.
To combat the noise complaints, several solutions were researched that would help to
lessen the amount of sound that reaches the residents. These solutions were a noise reflective
barrier, which would aim to work in conjunction with the earthen berm to reduce noise, and a
noise absorbing barrier, which would attempt to completely eliminate the noise.
Problem 3: Unauthorized and lack of parking due to inadequate space

The amphitheater is located near a small residential area consisting of a low-income

population. It is safe to assume that there is not enough parking to accommodate those attending
concerts in Four Oaks Pavilion. As stated previously, residents complained that there were cars
parked in their driveways, which is a definite indication that there is a lack of parking for the
amphitheater. Because of the lack of parking, residents are forced to contend with increased
traffic within their area with cars lining their streets. This also leads to their dealing with unruly
crowds who need to return to their cars after the concert is over. Although it is irritating for the
residents to deal with the crowds attending the concerts, the blame cannot be placed solely on the
concert goers. There is clear evidence to show that the lack of parking causes them to park in the
neighboring residential area because this is their only choice.
Therefore, as a way to alleviate the lack of parking, several solutions were suggested.
One solution was to build parking garages, which would attempt to keep the crowds out of the
residential area as well as generating additional revenue for the city. Another solution was to
utilize an outside source of transportation, namely a shuttle service.
Problem 4: Lack of communication between the City Council, Hartville residents and
Kramer Associates
Although many clear physical problems were presented by the residents about the
amphitheater, such as traffic, noise and parking, a more subtle issue is within the community
itself its lack of communication between the City Council, Hartville residents and Kramer
Associates. There is clearly mistrust towards the City Council members. The residents have
attempted to bring the attention of the City Council to their concerns. Although several concerns
have been addressed, even a councilwoman that was a strong supporter of the Four Oaks
Pavilion was concerned about dealing with the residents. The residents themselves have
expressed feelings of helplessness and blatant disregard for their concerns. Because of the
miscommunication or lack of communication between the involved parties, it is safe to assume
that there is no member dedicated to communicating with the residents. With no liaison between
either party, it is difficult for concerns to be addressed and easy for nothing to be done to resolve
any issue.
Therefore, as a bridge to ensure communication between all parties, suggestions were
made that involved a structural change to the City Council itself. One suggestion was to create a
separate branch that specifically deals with complaints. Another suggestion is to create a
universal electronic system to manage complaints, which would help to prioritize concerns.
Lastly, another solution is to create hierarchy within the City Council that mimics that of the civil
system in place now.

Suggested Solutions and their Implementation

Problem 1: Increased traffic in residential areas
Solution A: Introduction of law enforcement to prevent concert goers in the
residential area and reduce rowdy behavior
A large problem was increased traffic in the residential areas. This greatly
concerned the residents with children. Due to many cars attempting to park in the
neighborhood, traffic was becoming unbearable for residents. The solution was to
implement law enforcement during concert times to prevent unauthorized parking in the

surrounding area. Although it is not entirely plausible to block off the neighborhood
completely, it is possible for law enforcement to patrol the perimeter, specifically the
entrances leading into the residential area. An important issue to be noted with this
solution is that it is impossible to tell who is an actual resident and who is not.
Furthermore, law enforcement will not only help reduce traffic in residential areas, but
can also be implemented as an added security measure for reducing rowdy behavior that
contributes to the increased noise level. During concerts, substance use and alcohol is a
normality that is present at most, if not all, major venues. Because of this, the restraint of
a crowd can often escalate. The introduction of law enforcement can help to combat this
by screening attendees for such contraband, which would decrease the use of such items.
The cost of incorporating law enforcement averages to approximately $35 per officer. It
can be safely assumed that the officers would be needed at the venue for at least four
hours, therefore each officer would be paid approximately $140 per concert. Depending
on the size of the force needed, the average cost to hire enough officers to supply Four
Oaks Pavilion will be in the range of $30,000 to $50,000. This is in consideration that the
officers will also need training. As stated in the report on crowd management, officers
need to be aware of the type of crowd they are coming into contact with and they need
the necessary tools to be able to deal with such a crowd. Introducing law enforcement to
Four Oaks Pavilion is an immediate solution to the current problems on hand, officers
can be easily and quickly hired while the most time consuming portion would be the
required training for each officer.
Solution B: Implementation of an automated parking system
In conjunction to hiring law enforcement to prevent unauthorized residential
parking, the implementation of an automated parking system to existing parking garages
or prospective parking garages will help to reduce increased traffic conditions. An
automated parking system serves to let drivers know what floor of a parking garage has
open spaces and light fixtures placed above the parking spot will let the driver know
which spot is readily available. An instance of this application can be seen in Downtown
Disney, located in Orlando, Florida. The following picture shows which parking spots are
occupied with a green light fixture.

If this automated parking system were to be incorporated into the parking garages that
exist or into future parking garages, it could minimize traffic congestion from concert
goers. It would eliminate the drivers need of circling the garage multiple times to find a
parking spot. The funds needed to implement such a system would amount to
approximately $85 million. In addition, the selected parking garages would need to be
closed down during construction for several months. A short term possibility from this
setback would be increased traffic for those months. Arguably, the long-term benefit from
the implementation of automated parking systems would be alleviated traffic congestion
for any concert held thereafter.

Problem 2: Loud noise emanating from Four Oaks Pavilion

Solution A: Noise Reflective Barrier
A noise reflective barrier is a solid wall that would be built between the residents
of the neighboring area and the Four Oaks Pavilion. Although it would not completely
eliminate the sound emanating from the Pavilion, it would greatly decrease the amount
that reaches the resident households. If it is correctly implemented and constructed, it
should reduce the noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels (Federal Highway Association, 1).
The following shows a depiction of an earthen berm, which is the solution that the City
Council attempted to reduce noise:

Despite being aesthetically pleasing, it was inadequate in reducing the noise levels.
Therefore, the solution of a noise reflective barrier is a more adequate idea. It is
important to note that the Federal Highway Association states that all noise barrier
material types are equally effective, acoustically, if they have [a] density [of 20
kilograms] (FHA, 8). Therefore, it is possible to make a dense noise reflective barrier
that is aesthetically pleasing to the residents as well as the attendants of the entertainment
facility while being made of inexpensive material such as the following:

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In addition to these barriers reducing the amount of sound reaching the residents and
maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance, they can also attempt to deter concert
goers from wandering into the residential areas. Depending on the quality of the materials
used, the cost of creating a noise reflective barrier can range from $50 to $200 per square
feet. This is a relatively inexpensive solution to help alleviate noise pollution and a large
wall may deter concert goers from entering into the surrounding residential area.

Solution B: Converting the Four Oaks Pavilion into an enclosed amphitheater

While eliminating as much noise pollution as possible is of the highest objective,
it can be safely assumed that it is near impossible to eliminate noise pollution completely.
Although, a probable solution that could achieve this is to enclose the amphitheater
completely, but this would lead to the amphitheater to cease being a pavilion. Enclosing
the Four Oaks Pavilion would eliminate most noise coming from the amphitheater, but it
would lessen the experience of an outdoor pavilion. The estimated cost of completely
enclosing the entertainment facility would be in the figures of hundreds of millions. This
is taking into consideration the added costs for materials, labor, and time to reconstruct
the amphitheater.

Problem 3: Unauthorized and lack of parking due to inadequate space

Solution A: Construction of parking garages
The issue of increased traffic congestion and unauthorized parking in residential
areas can largely be contributed to the lack of parking surrounding the Four Oaks
Pavilion. To combat this severe problem, the construction of several parking garages is a
viable solution that requires consideration. Due to the lack of parking, attendees are more
willing to park in the surrounding residential area because of convenience and the close
proximity. This is a contributing factor to the residents anger towards the amphitheater.
By parking in the residential area, attendees are creating increased traffic and
compromising the safety of the residents children. Therefore, the construction of parking
garages would alleviate these issues. If each garage were to hold approximately 4,000
people, then in order to fully accommodate 20,000 attendees, five parking garages would

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need to be constructed. The cost of implementing this solution is about $10 million per
garage and approximately two to three years (RSMeans). This estimation takes into
consideration the added cost of labor and materials. In addition, the aesthetical concern
about the garages needs to be addressed. To present a more aesthetically pleasing
structure to the residents and attendees, greenery can be planted along the outer edges of
the parking garage. A depiction of this can be seen below.

The parking garage will retain its integrity while still maintaining an aesthetical
appearance. Understandably, the cost of constructing parking garages to accommodate
the lack of parking can be exorbitant, but there are possible benefits to be considered.
Since noise level was of great concern to many residents, the parking garages can act as a
wall to mitigate some noise emanating from the entertainment facility. Also, if the City
Council were to charge for parking, the proceeds could earn back the cost of construction
and be used to fund other solutions.

Solution B: Outside sourcing with a shuttle service provider

Due to the large amount of funding needed for the construction of parking
garages, a cost efficient consideration would be outside sourcing with a shuttle service
provider, such as The Bus Center. This option would provide shuttle buses that ferry the
attendees to and from the venue. The idea is for the buses to run every 30 minutes during
the concert for those leaving early and 10 minutes before and after the show. This
schedule is the most efficient if at least 15 shuttle buses are supplied. It is possible for a
contract to be made between the shuttle service and a pre-existing parking garage that
would allow for those using the shuttle to have available parking reserved specifically for
them. So that the attendees would have easy access to the shuttle service. In order to
ensure that only those attending concerts are utilizing the shuttle service, bus passes will
be provided after confirmation of the purchase of a ticket. This would maximize the
capacity of each shuttle bus allowing for less trips. Each shuttle would cost
approximately $100,000. Therefore, the cost of 15 shuttle buses would calculate to $1.5
million. This solution is cost efficient due to needing less funding than constructing new
parking garages. The added benefits include no additional noise from construction, no

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need for aesthetical concerns and less time for implementation. An important issue that
should be highlighted is that there is no guarantee that a parking garage will contract with
a shuttle service to reserve its spots for only concert goers. This could cause problems for
those needing to use the pre-existing garages for other events as well.

Problem 4: Lack of communication between the City Council, Hartville residents and
Kramer Associates
Solution A: Create a separate branch within the City Council
Since the City Council does not have a specific department dedicated to dealing
with the residents concerns, one solution to address the issue of the lack of
communication between the City Council and the residents is to create a separate branch
within the City Council. By creating a separate branch, minimal change is done to the
City Councils structure and integrity. The idea is to create a centralized mode of
communication for the residents to utilize. This would include a liaison from the created
branch and a representative from the residents. In relation to the cost of implementing
such a system, the majority will go to training the liaison in customer relations. There are
several courses to train a liaison in customer relations ranging from online customer
service training to traditional classes to self-taught customer service software. The cost of
training can be as low as $30 to at most $1500. Although it may take several months for a
liaison to be fully trained, this would improve communication between the residents
because they will be more satisfied if the person dealing with their complaint is
competent, objective and efficient (Ombudsman, 5). As for the residents, they have
stated that they feel helpless. In addition to creating a separate branch, a website or forum
can be created that would provide daily or weekly updates on how each issue is being
addressed and what is being done. It is also a possibility for the representative resident to
sit in on a City Council meeting discussing the issues. This will mitigate the residents
feelings of helplessness and feelings of being unheard.
Solution B: Implementing a universal electronic complaint management system
While changing the structure of the City Council to accommodate the concerns of
the residents is a viable solution in the immediate time frame, a long-term solution that
should be brought into consideration is implementing a universal electronic complaint
management system. This requires outside sourcing that utilizes companies, such as
HappyFox Inc., that specialize in creating such systems best suited for certain situations.
HappyFox Inc.s services include helping to receive complaints, track them, resolve
them, and reduce incoming complaint numbers (HappyFox). This allows for residents to
quickly and efficiently file a complaint through their website that would reach the City
Council within minutes, if not seconds. In addition, residents would have a visual
reference as to whether their issue has been resolved. While more serious issues such as
noise level complaints cannot be resolved instantly and require much more thought, less

13

urgent issues, such as unauthorized parking in front of a household, can be addressed

immediately upon a filed complaint. By implementing an electronic management system,
the need for paper communication can be largely eliminated, which lessens the chance of
a complaint being lost or simply thrown aside. This solution should be used in
conjunction with creating a separate complaint branch due to the issue that residents may
not feel as though they are heard because it cannot be considered the same as talking with
a liaison face-to-face. The cost of implementing a universal electronic system can be
quite considerable over a period of time. A company, such as HappyFox Inc., charges on
a per monthly basis with consideration to how much staffing is needed. If less staff is
needed, the average cost would be $19 while if more staff is needed, the average cost
would increase to approximately $70 per month.
Solution C: Creating a hierarchy within the City Council
Similar to creating a separate branch of the City Council, this solution would
change the structure of the City Council itself to mimic that of the civil law system in
place now. Specifically, referencing the Supreme Court, if the defendants complaint
cannot be resolved, it continues to the next highest order of law. This would guarantee
that a residents complaint will be heard due to the idea that if it cannot be resolved then,
it would go to the next highest ranking authority to be resolved. Despite the advantage of
having no financial cost, the idea to change the structure of the entire City Council is
implausible. Not only is the integrity of the City Council changed, but it poses certain
questions. For example:

How would the hierarchy of the City Council be determined?

Who has the authority to determine who in the City Council ranks higher
than the others? Would it be the residents or a higher authority?
If it is a higher authority, who would that higher authority be?

Recommendations
After every concert, residents begin to file complaints against Four Oaks Pavilion. As
time progresses, the problems affecting the residents worsen. Therefore, it is of the upmost
importance to solve each issue as quickly and efficiently as possible. But, the time and cost of
each solution must be carefully analyzed as well as their advantages and disadvantages. While
the problems should be solved in a time efficient manner, it is important to note the effects that

14

each solution will have over a period of time. Therefore, two courses of action must be
considered a short-term and a long-term.
Short-Term Course of Action
1)
2)
3)
4)

Problem 1: Solution A Introduction of law enforcement

Problem 2: Solution A Noise Reflective Barrier
Problem 3: Solution B Outside sourcing with a shuttle service provider
Problem 4: Solution A Create a separate branch within the City Council

This short-term course of action was chosen for the following reasons:

Cost-efficient
Can be completed within a relatively short time span (3 months 1 year)

With the City Council under constant pressure from residents to find solutions to the
impending issues, a short-term course of action would allow those issues to be taken care
of in a quick and efficient manner. The implementation of law enforcement can be done
within several months and trained with approximately $30,000 to $50,000. This would
eliminate unauthorized parking in the surrounding residential area and control rowdy
behavior from crowds. A noise reflective barrier can be constructed with any material. If
the cheapest material is used, it would only cost $50 per square foot. Outside sourcing
with a shuttle service would provide quick access to buses that would transport the
concert goers. The City Council would not need to construct any infrastructure and rowdy
behavior would also be reduced due to goers leaving in a timely fashion. Lastly, creating
a separate branch within the City Council and liaison that would communicate with the
residents would allow for an immediate solution while quelling the residents feelings of
helplessness.

Long-Term Course of Action

1)
2)
3)
4)

Problem 1: Solution B Implementation of an automated parking system

Problem 2: Solution A Noise Reflective Barrier
Problem 3: Solution A Construction of parking garages
Problem 4: Solution B Implementing an electronic complaint management system

This long-term course of action was chosen for the following reason:

Would solve or eliminate each problem over a period of time more

efficiently and effectively than the short-term course of action

As more revenue is generated from Four Oaks Pavilion, a long-term course of action
should be considered to eliminate or mitigate each major problem in a permanent manner.
Despite the cost of implementation, an automated parking system would drastically

15

reduce traffic for residents since concert goers are not circling parking garages looking
for spots. A noise reflective barrier would work in both the short-term and long-term
courses of action due to the fact that it can be cost-efficient, deter concert goers from
venturing into the neighborhood and preventing sound from reaching the residents. While
the cost of constructing parking garages will range into the tens of millions, they will be
vital in providing the much needed parking for attendees. Lastly, the implementation of
the long-term solution of an electronic complaint management system will allow
residents to file complaints quickly and know whether their problems have been
addressed. This would benefit the City Council in addressing the problems more easily
and residents would feel heard.

Works Cited
"Crowd Management." Crowd Management. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.
"Customer Complaint Managementto Gain Loyalty and Increase Retention." Handle Customer
Complaints. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.

16

Department, U.S., and Of Transportation. Keeping The Noise Down (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
Guidelines. "Effective Handling of Complaints Made to Your Organization." Effective Handling
of Complaints Made to Your Organisation - An Overview (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
"Models." RSMeans. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.
"New Garage First Step in Disney's Plans for Transportation Improvements."
OrlandoSentinel.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.
"Noise Barrier Design Handbook." 5. Noise Barrier Materals and Surface Treatments. N.p., n.d.
Web. 06 Oct. 2015.
"Pricing and Costs of Customer Service Education and Training." Business.com. N.p., n.d. Web.
06 Oct. 2015.
"The Bus Center." Buy a Bus. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.