mount pleasant neighborhood alliance

 

Music Debate Heats Up

It has become quite clear over the last few months that here in Mt. Pleasant we are anything but pleasant. Last month, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1D, Mount Pleasant Main Street, All-Ways Mount Pleasant, the Community of Christ Church, and founders and members of a new group, Hear Mt. Pleasant, filed protests against the renewal of numerous ABC Class CR licensees in Mt.  Pleasant.

While they have a right to protest under the law based on peace, order, and quiet issues, thus far no one—least of all the restaurant owners—seems to know what the problems are. Do they make too much noise?  Do they serve alcohol to underage kids? Do they stay open all night? Do they send unruly patrons into the street intoxicated? What is the problem? A straight answer is not forthcoming from any of the protesting groups. Are these truly valid protests, or are these groups wasting the ABC Board’s time and energy? Many people, especially the restaurant owners, want to know.

Most of the ruckus seems to stem around a push for live entertainment on Mt. Pleasant Street. But we’re not sure how a push for live entertainment and protesting ABC licenses mix. Months ago and before these protests began, the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance (MPNA) had already negotiated terms with 5 of the 8 restaurant owners and agreed to add live music to the voluntary agreements of those that want to offer it.

MPNA supports voluntary agreements that support the quality of our lives. Music is alive in Mt. Pleasant—not only outside in the Music in the Park series—but also live in restaurants soon.

Earlier this month, representatives of ANC 1D visited restaurants on the commercial strip asking owners to 

 

 sign letters to the ABC Board requesting termination of their voluntary agreements with MPNA. They were told that if they, the business owners, didn’t sign on, many groups would be “disappointed” in them and that it would be very bad for their business. When they refused to sign, the ANC decided to fight back.

 Mt. Pleasant restaurant owners of Marx Café, Tonic and Radius don’t want to be a pawn in this game. The picture they paint of the current situation is quite disheartening. Attorney fees on the rise, time away from work, are all distractions for protests they, as well as other in the community, aren’t sure are legitimate. Corados doesn’t have legal counsel and MPNA is helping with translation, etc. Tonic and Radius are planning fundraisers to off-set legal fees.

On February 7th, the Mount Pleasant ANC1-D passed a resolution unanimously declaring the appearance of a Hostile Business Environment in Mount Pleasant. It now appears that the ones being hostile are the ANC with others supporting their plan.  Many in the neighborhood are reaching out to support these businesses. They are all under unnecessary pressure and stress and our hopes are that this ANC and Main Street, as well as the others stop this nonsense and drop their protests. The ANC then passed a resolution supporting a voluntary agreement model of the “Hear Mt. Pleasant” group. This voluntary agreement, if approved by the ABC Board, would allow live entertainment, dancing and cover charge in our ABC establishments 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The impact of live entertainment, dancing and cover charge every night of the year on our residents changes the dynamics of our neighborhood.

While we agree that sound proofing is good for the noise inside the bars, how do we insulate and   protect the peace, order and quiet outside?...a question proposed to Hear Mt. Pleasant and the ANC goes unanswered.  We already suffer from serious noise and lack of parking for our residents. More visitors every night of the week equals less parking, more cars and foot traffic deeper in the residential zone late at night from possibly intoxicated patrons leaving the bars.   This cannot be ignored nor sacrificed for creating an entertainment zone. After many attempts to find the mechanism to deal with these issues, the ANC, Main Street, and Hear Mount Pleasant have no solutions. It’s not just about noise. Is this what we want for Mount Pleasant Street—an entertainment district every night of the week?