May 19, 2008
Live Music Task Force Public Hearing Tonight
May 19, 2008
Austin City Hall (301 W. 2nd St.)
6:30-8:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Austin City Hall
[info]
This is the recently created task force's first subcommittee public hearing to take citizen input on the issue of sound control and enforcement of sound ordinances. The task force (created by Mayor Wynn and the City Council in January) is composed of musicians, venue owners, promoters and neighborhood representatives. Their goal is to examine Austin's live music industry and make recommendations on how to sustain its viability over the long term. From Austin Music Foundation: "Their analysis involves determining how to enhance, maintain, and create entertainment districts, including sound and affordability issues, and examining which best practices from other cities might also benefit Austin's live music industry."
Tonight's public hearing is relevant to venue owners, promoters and residents who are affected by our city's live music in their homes, but it's also relevant to those of us who just enjoy attending shows. Building standards, financing, and development play a large role in our nightlife's day-to-day operations as well as its long term sustainability, so make your voice heard this evening.
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Why can't we have a rational discussion in this city of addressing the impacts of live music on residences? The folks off of South Congress were enjoying life, and an entertainment district came to them. They raise some concerns, and the music commission and their groupies open up a jihad against 'em. Let's keep in mind that the city's decibel limits are so permissive that any increase would be considered a nuisance under state law! Because the venue was so dismissive of the concerns of their immediate residential neighbors, they had to go to court and were successful in having the venue declared a public nuisance.
You can be supportive of live music and be reasonable about common-sense regulations. We all have to get along in this great city of ours.
Is the impetus for this really coming from South Congress? Really? Every time I've paid attention to one of these jihads, it's been the typical gang of bungholes living up the hill from Barton Springs, which has had restaurants on it for decades.
What venues off of south congress are causing the uproar?
Continental Club has been there for ages; Ego's just stopped having live bands.
What else is there? That little courtyard next to Gueros and Trophys?
Cram, the Texas Music Cafe opened a few years ago in a storefront half a block up from Continental (which has been a wonderful neighbor -- their music is indoors and they work to keep their patrons from pissing in yards). Their music was outdoors, oriented directly toward the neighbors. Worse, they were asses, no consideration for others. They were cited by the City, but neighbors eventually had to go to court on their own dime to get then declared a nuisance. The Italian restaurant that now has the space continues with live music, but it's better. Home Slice now has an outdoor stage, Jo's has outdoor concerts, others as well.
Mike, the jihad has been directed by the music folks (on my dime, hijacking the Music Commission for their own pro-music rallies and rants), implying that the neighbors (or anyone who doesn't buy into their live music screed) are a bunch of uptight blue hairs set on running music out of town. The world is rarely as black-or-white as you like to proclaim. Why can't we do the responsible thing and get on board with some reasonable limitations that only apply in this part of town, and be done with it?
I like that the word "terrorized" was used to describe how someone felt about the sound level of live music.
I was just terrorized by Slickshu.
I'm all in favor of reasonable limitations. Anything that Jeff Jack's band of bluehairs is on board with, though, is unlikely to be reasonable enough.
If music is terrorizing your ears, cut the whining, stop wasting the city's time, and buy some damn earplugs already you big dumb sissies.
Mike, why conjure up the ultimate bogeyman of Jeff Jack -- you know this is not his concern, he's obsessed with South Lamar and the mysterious sound vortex of Bouldin Creek.
Just admit something needs to be done for our South Congress friends, and quit with the bombastic rhetoric.
I can't help it; Jeff Jack terrorizes me.
Do you have any background reading on the new South Congress flavor of this problem, since it's obviously so much more compelling?
Where was the word "terrorized" used? Paige very respectfully stated "residents who are affected by our city's live music in their homes".
Grape Ape did it. I just picked up on it, although it does _perfectly_ describe how the folks around here talk about Stubb's, on the rare days when the weather conditions allow their sound to bounce up Waller Creek.
Some little bald guy on the news last night said he was being terrorized by the noise on KXAN or KVUE at 10:00, I can't remember which one.
Just admit something needs to be done for our South Congress friends, and quit with the bombastic rhetoric.
I will admit that they either need to move or buy some earplugs and get over it.
They also said on the news last night that of the 8 complaints for noise violations after 10:30 PM, 6 of them were for garbage trucks. Since ther numbers were so low for complaints, it must not be that big of a deal.
Oh shit - citations issued, I think, not complaints. I can't fidn that story anywhere, pretty sure it was on KVUE but they don't have the video of it.
I'd suggest you guys visit with Vicki Faust. She's doing what I would think Mike would see as responsible -- she is developing a long vacant lot off of South Congress on The Circle with a hip bed and breakfast. Between the time she bought the property and now, 16 mos. into development, she realizes that even with soundproofing and reinforced windows, her property is worthless for the purpose she intends to use it, because of the music from Texas Music Cafe/Becks/Botticelli's.
Now, if you were in Ms. Faust's shoes, how would you respond to a smug ass chump that says "move or buy some earplugs and get over it."
So what happened? Was she deaf for 16 months and only now regained her hearing?
Thanks for the smile though.
If I were Ms. Faust I guess all I could say would be "It is my fault for not fully understanding that I was trying to build a quiet based business in an area that is known for its activity and live music. I guess I thought that I could get the entire area to change to suit the needs of my buisness as they should not be able to have a business for what they intended it to be as it conflicts with my business. I guess I should have done better research and had sound studies done to see if the architecture of my project would be adequate. I am just trying so hard to be cool and different just like everyone else, but everyone else won't change to let my business be successful."
My guess is it should be something like that. You are right though, there needs to be a rational discussion, but based on your last comment, you seem to be biased to one side and that is irrational.
You guys are assuming that she purchased when she began development -- she didn't. She purchased years ago, engaged the army of consultants necessary to get through the city process, architects and engineers, etc., and eventually broke ground 16 mos. back. In no way does the entire area need to change to suit the needs of her buisness -- it's only the people who are repeatedly pushing the current teethless ordinance that are the problem (they didn't exist when she purchased).
Would your answer be the same if, instead of a music venue, it were a cattle feed lot that located next to a residential subdivision in final stages of completion on far South Congress, taking advantage of a non-enforced city ordiance with no teeth, rendering the homes useless?
Being biased on one side does not make one irrational.
Adaptation is the key to survival and success. She has a very desireable piece of real estate. Is it possible that she could find something better suited to the area to have as a business? My guess is that a quiet B&B isn't what someone looks for when deciding to visit and stay on S. Congress. If all else fails she could obviously sell for a hefty profit and move her idea to a more appropriate location. I'm just not sure a B&B was ever a viable opportunity for a S. Congress business. Understood about the timeline and some of the new busnesses, but South Congress has been populated with activity and noise (including live music) for many years now.
Ever heard of the San Jose? She doesn't want quiet -- she wants tolerable.
Now I understand, based upon your comments -- in your world, being biased gives license to irrational spew. Over & out.
If she's been there a long time then really - REALLY - she should have known better. This is like wearing flip flops to a construction site and then crying when your toe gets cut off. It's far out beyond left field stupid to try and locate a quiet business in a loud area and then whine that the area isn't quiet enough to suit the business now. And yes, the San Jose and the Austin Motel are doing just fine on loud-ass Congress so this whole Bitch & Moan Fest is ridiculous.
For real - cry me a river already. There are enough problems in this city and this world without having to devote any more than three brain cells to some dumbasses failed dreams of an overpriced Bed and Breakfast which would probably fail anyway due to the high failure of Bed and Breakfast establishments ANY-damn-way (study conducted by LoudMouth in 1988).
Damn, ya'll are some hard hearted SOBs.
There are many more problems that face this city then whiny ass musicians who -- seriously -- bitch because the noise ordinance contains the highly offensive word "noise", but that's what your blogger has offered as the best use of this space and forum.
As I've said before, you won't see much discussion on this website of many of the intracable issues that this city faces, for the simple reason that they don't resonate with the cadre of smug white kids that purchase clever t-shirts and think they are hip.
Dude, has it not penetrated yet that everybody here knows South Congress has had music noise for many many years?
I haven't even been to a club in double the sixteen months she's supposedly been spending, and I knew that. The Continental Club ring any bells?
I'm also predisposed to be biased against The Circle because one of the McMansion hypocrites lives there in a big house on a very expensive piece of land. So there's two strikes.
So she wants tolerable, that's perfectly fine, but she has to realize that live music was on South Congress long before her idea came about. Maybe she was dreaming about it when it was hookers and crack dealers at San Jose and before the Continental Club existed I'm not sure, but I doubt it. Point is, she is wanting someone else to change their business to facilitate her's. Even if she had the land long ago, fact is, those other businesses were there before her. She needs to change - see my adapt and survive comment above.
Slickshu u mad
I'm gonna open a chuck e. cheeze next door to an awesome brothel and see what happens.
Mike,
Its troubling to me that you seem to relish knowing the addresses (and square footage) of the homes of folks that you disagree with -- this is the third reference now to either a council candidate or McMansion committee member (all women) specifically acknowledging that you know where they live. Even if you don't agree with the policies they promote, it seems to cross the line, could be seen perhaps as threatening. What's this all about?
Slickshu,
The problem is that there were like 4-5 people who were majorly involved from the NIMBY side on that task force, and the one male is the only one who's not a big flaming hypocrite (Chris Allen - lives in a small house on a smallish lot).
The fact that the task force members mentioned more frequently live in big houses that overwhelm their neighbors (disobeying the spirit if not technically the letter of the ordinance) is very relevant - those folks wrote that ordinance and I'm fairly certain they did it knowing what they'd have to do to make sure they technically squeaked in while demonizing guys like me who want to build less overall square feet that would be less overbearing than their places already are.