City Council Creates New Four Day Sound Permit

Published Feb. 15, 2010 at 6:44 p.m.

Nash CookLast Thursday, city council approved an emergency ordinace creating a new 96-hour sound amplification permit. Applicants can get one 96-hour sound amplification permit per year.

Every single-family house and neighborhood organization within 600 feet will be notified of the application. Permits cannot be issued for venues within 100 feet of property zoned residential. Venues beyond 100 feet but within 600 feet of residential property between can get permits to rock out (up to 85 dB) until 8:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 p.m. on Friday or Saturday. Venues beyond 600 feet of residential property can kick the jams until 2:00 a.m.

The new permit will enable more venues to host live music during SXSW and will address some of the problems created by last year's changes to the sound ordinances, but it doesn't help venues (like Little Woodrow's downtown and Sustainable Waves in east Austin) facing neighborhood complaints about renewals of their existing year-long permits (a process created by another change made last year to the sound ordinance).

...


Back | Read more at Austinist