Three special amusement licenses were approved at the June 8 Boothbay Harbor selectmen's meeting.

Rocktide Inn & Restaurant’s license was revisited and reapproved with zero conditions, Boothbay Lobster Wharf's license was reapproved, as the business was recently sold, making the former licenses void, and Mama D's Cafe was also approved.

At the previous selectmen’s meeting on May 26, the license for Rocktide was approved with the conditions that outdoor amplified musical acts be limited to a duo or less.

As the plan was for larger groups to play this summer, manager of Rocktide John Sullivan came to the meeting to explain Rocktide's entertainment plans and to discuss why he thought the noise was a problem.

Neighbor Jim Perkins also came to express his issues with the music.

“When Rocktide is in full entertainment mode it's impossible to hear yourself talk on the deck,” said Perkins, who resides at 43 Atlantic Avenue.

Rocktide is located at 35 Atlantic Avenue.

Perkins thanked the police for their quick response on Sunday when he complained about the noise; he said an officer came out to take a reading and went next door to ask that the music be turned down.

“I measured all over the place when the band was playing,” Sullivan said. “I didn't find any problems until I went behind the band and realized the monitors (speakers) pointed towards the band were too loud.”

According to Sullivan, he believed the sound was bouncing off the motels and going left and right, which would aim the noise directly at Perkins’ deck. Sullivan said he would instruct bands to turn these speakers down, and that “if they can't comply (with the ordinance) they won't play.”

“I'm delighted to hear you are working with Jim (Perkins) to resolve this,” Selectman Bill Hamblen said.

“The board's philosophy is that we'd rather neighbors worked together to resolve these issues,” Board Chairman Denise Griffin said. “It's right next to the water, which is part of the challenge.”

The board voted to approve the license for Rocktide with no restrictions, and it passed 3-2 with Russ Hoffman and Griffin opposed.

“I look forward to seeing these changes integrated,” Griffin said.

According to Police Chief Bob Hasch there were no complaints last year regarding the music played at Mama D's Cafe on Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m., and no residents at the meeting had any issues with it. The license passed unanimously.

The license for T. Philbrook Enterprises, formerly the Boothbay Lobster Wharf, also went forward with no issues. The major change with the license was the new application asked only for non-amplified music, while the former license was for amplified. A neighbor stated that would likely make a significant difference in reducing noise issues.

Hamblen has been working on a plan for special amusement license rules and procedures, which would include warnings, suspensions and revocations based on complaints. The original plan was to discuss it at the meeting, but the selectmen decided they needed more time to refine the plan before presenting it, and tabled the discussion until their next meeting on June 22.