PORT Dover’s Royal Canadian Legion is paying a stiff price to get county permission to hold live music events in its parking lot on Market Street East.
The group so far has paid $18,000 for a survey and county fees to rezone the parking lot to allow live events, spokesperson Ron Rayner said last week.
Legion Branch 158 is losing up to $20,000 for each warm month that it can’t host live music outside.
County council soon will consider the Legion’s application to change the parking lot’s zoning from residential to community institutional.
Councillors got their first look at the proposal last Tuesday.
They will vote on the zoning change at a future meeting.
The zoning would allow live music and events, plus an outdoor patio and cafe.
The Legion holds live music events throughout the year.
Events take place inside their building at 212 Market St. E. for most of the year.
Starting in 2020, music moved to the Legion’s parking lot between June and Thanksgiving.
Music outdoors happened every summer Sunday afternoon for four hours and every other Tuesday evening for three hours.
Mr. Rayner said a neighbour complained about noise in April 2024.
In response, the Legion moved its outdoor stage and installed decibel readers to monitor sound levels.
But county bylaw officials issued a cease and desist order on outdoor music after they found the parking lot was not zoned for live events.
Music has continued inside but music lovers want to be outside during the summer.
The problem isn’t sound. It’s incorrect zoning, Mr. Rayner told councillors last Tuesday.
The Legion is not for profit.
It spends $100,000 a year to help veterans and others in the community.
In written comments to councillors, Market Street neighbour Susan Thomson urged them to consider “conditional” zoning to make the Legion comply with Norfolk’s noise bylaw and provincial
regulations.
Ms. Thomson wrote that her family does not oppose a new zoning for the Legion’s parking lot.
But they do want acceptable decibel levels that won’t likely disturb surrounding residents.
The Legion’s outdoor entertainment grew louder after it began in 2020, Ms. Thomson wrote.
Her letter continued: “Communicated with the Legion several times… with little or no changes.
“Other neighbours with same concern, now intimidated after media upheaval to not speak up.
“Many seniors plus families with small children.”
About 60 homes are within 100 metres of the Legion, bylaw services manager Jim Millson told councillors.
Norfolk’s noise bylaw does not set decibel limits, he said.
The bylaw forbids noise likely to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of residents.
Permits for special events do set decibel limits, Charlotteville Coun. Chris Van Paassen pointed out.
For example, the limit is 100 decibels at 100 feet from a stage.
The Legion wants to be a good neighbour and will do anything possible to remedy complaints, Mr. Rayner told councillors.
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Originally published June 11, 2025
