Monday, May 4, 2009

Noise ordinance takes away Austin's live music capital in the world title.

In the year 2009 Austin city councilsl adopted Ordinance No. 20080226-028, which provided that the noise limits generally applicable to outdoor music venues (85db from 10am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays) do not apply to outdoor music venues associated with restaurants. Existing code gave restaurants a 70db limit all the time.

The city of Austin needs to be very careful with ordinance affecting the live music scene because according to the city's visitors bureau events like Austin City Limits, South by southwest, and many more events of that magnitude generated the most revenue for city businesses in 2008.

There are many restaurants that have been limited to their noise which will eventually lose clientele, and end up shutting down because most clients attend these places to enjoy both music and food like the case of Freddy's on south Austin just to mention one.

A noise ordinance had a big incident in the past, where Grammy award winning band, and one of Austin's favorites Ozomatly got arrested during South by southwest in 2004 doing part of their end of show routine playing drums in the streets after 2 am.

Austin's economy benefits from having live music at restaurants, venues, clubs, parks, etc. If they don't revise these ordinance not only Austin will lose its title as Live music capital of the world, but it will affect the economic situation of musicians, restaurants, club owners, and event organizers which already have it bad as it it.

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