BETHEL — A group of Bethel residents who live on Pucky Huddle Road and nearby areas have complained about the level of noise from Yasgur Road Productions (YRP) on Route 17. 

Founded by Jeryl Abramson and the late Roy Howard on the original site of Max Yasgur’s farm, YRP hosts an annual Woodstock reunion, as well as other concerts and weekend events.

For years the Town of Bethel and YRP battled in court over the annual gathering, with Bethel citing various violations of town codes which led to numerous lawsuits and countersuits.

In recent years, however, YRP has been granted a special use permit by Bethel’s planning board and noise permits by the town board.

Speaking at the regular town board meeting on August 25, Pucky Huddle Road resident Greg MacArthur said that in the time leading up to the weekend of Aug. 13 - 15, the noise had become unbearable.

“At least five residents that I spoke to commented that their windows were shaking in their house over the past couple weeks, including mine,” MacArthur said. “The music is honestly that loud. It’s like they have a ‘Mysteryland’ concert every weekend.”

Sturm says YRP did come before the town board and was granted a noise permit for certain dates that extended until 2 a.m. Sturm added that the negative impacts of COVID-19 on local businesses over the past year were taken into consideration in granting that time period.

“We agreed to 2 a.m., which normally we would not, because we thought at the time that people are coming out, businesses are opening again and we wanted to give them a chance to succeed,” Sturm said. “On this rare occurrence we said 2 a.m., but if there were any complaints we would have to address it.”

Some board members said that before this latest meeting they had not heard any complaints about YRP, which hosts other weekend music events besides the Woodstock reunion, as well as camping for people attending concerts at nearby Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

“We need to get this feedback, because then we can address it,” said Councilmember Vicky Simpson.

Abramson told the Democrat that she’s been in contact with the town supervisor and code enforcement officer to address complaints.

“We are working on a plan that will mitigate the noise damage going forward,” Abramson said. “There are certain things we can do to point things away from the residential areas [and] turn down some of the bass which we think is the source of much of the issue.”

Abramson stated that they’ve been within the time parameters of their permits, but did not realize that the noise was traveling so far beyond their own property.

“We’re going to scale things back so that it’s not as much of an issue for the neighbors,” Abramson said. “We really want to be good neighbors and we’ve worked really hard to get where we are.” 

Abramson said they’re trying to do more of their own production, as sometimes outside groups and promoters don’t always know or follow the rules.

“That’s one of the changes that we’re going to make. We’ll work with outside promoters but we have to be the inside production company,” she said.

“[Yasgur Road Productions] is a really important place for our community, and it’s an important part of the history of Bethel,” Abramson said. “I think what my late husband and I have done here and what I can continue to do in his memory, and in the memory of the Yasgurs, is pretty noteworthy in this community and beyond.”

Sturm said that there would be a public hearing scheduled for their second meeting in September to review the noise permits and determine if revisions should be made for next season. MacArthur said that the noise levels have gotten notably better since the board meeting on August 25.

“There’s nobody that wants to take business from them or affect their right to have a business. They just ask that they be respectful,” MacArthur said.