While I do really like Prato bakery, I did previously live above a place that put in outdoor seating and started hiring DJs. When I complained to friends I got a response of "well, it is above a bar".... when they came to visit though, they all said "oh, now I get it.... how are they so loud???"

I should also mention we lived on the 4th floor, and with all the windows closed could still feel the floor shake from the bass and in our front room we could still hear people shouting from the back yard.

This same establishment also could care less when we would call at 3 am on a Thursday to say it was too loud. Or at 4 am on a Tuesday. Both of which would regularly happen.

And still unless people actually came over to our apartment to experience it, they didn't understand why we "couldn't deal with a little noise"

So I am sympathetic with a resident who lives in an area not zoned for outdoor seating who doesn't want the noise from outdoor seating or their current quiet home life disrupted.

And I know this is just a bakery, not a full service restaurant that will be open late, but I just wanted to point out how a seemingly harmless outdoor seating area could be unreasonably disruptive to the neighbors. And you wouldn't know it unless you lived there.

That being said, I hope that Prato can continue in a way that is respectful to their neighbors.