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Good evening, everyone, and welcome to Committee on Ordinance. I'm Chairman Pedro Espinall, to my

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right is Vice Chair, Councilwoman Shelley Peterson, to my left is Councilman Oscar Varga, as well

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as Councilman Justin Roy. Thank you so much for being here. Today is October 22nd, and

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the time is 6 p.m. Thank you. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

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Chairman Espinall.

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Present.

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Vice Chairwoman Peterson.

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Present.

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Councilwoman Harris is absent. Councilman Vargas.

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Present.

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Councillor Royas.

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Present.

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You have four present and one absent. You have a quorum.

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Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Thank you, Madam Chair.

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I know that there is so many people here.

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You will all have an opportunity to speak before us,

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so take your time. Make sure you sign in.

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I'll enter today's motion to take an item out of order.

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So moved.

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Second.

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Thank you.

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Madam Clerk, Item Number 2, please.

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Item Number 2 is an ordinance in amendment of Chapter 27 of the Code of Ordinances entitled

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The City of Providence Owning Ordinance Approved November 24, 2014 as amended to change the

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zoning district on the official zoning map for the property located on Assessors Pl.

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Lot 33, Lot 341, 22 to 24 DeSoto Street from R3 to MMU.

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Thank you.

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And we have from our planning department, Mr. Bobby, to present on this.

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Bob, as you walk towards us, I'll entertain a motion to enter into the records of A.

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So moved.

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Motion is made by Councilman Peterson.

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Second by Councilman Bagas.

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All in favor?

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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The ayes have it.

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Also, I'd like to take a motion to enter into the right

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collectivity, which is the letter from the CPC.

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May 4th, by Councilwoman Peterson,

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second by Councilwoman Bagas,

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and in favor, aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed, the ayes have it.

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Thank you.

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Mr. Asa, thanks.

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Mr. Chair, members of the committee,

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Robert Azar, Deputy Director,

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Department of Planning and Development.

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This petition, I believe, has a substitute

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is that right? Yes. And has that already been accepted? It has. Okay, thank you. These are

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three lots on DeSoto Street. They're currently zoned R3, which is three family residential.

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However, they're occupied by industrial businesses and sometimes we see that that you have these

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sort of legacy businesses that might have been established before there was zoning or

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they may have been established by variants, but this is an area that has a predominance

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of industrial uses and it is directly adjacent to the MMU 75 zone which is a mixed use zone

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that allows for a variety of different uses including light industrial, residential and

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commercial. All zoning changes have to be consistent with the comprehensive plan, particularly

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the future land use map. This area is intended by that map to be one where medium density

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residential uses are located adjacent to business and mixed use development.

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So given

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Given that, the City Plan Commission voted unanimously

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to advise the City Council to rezone these lots to MMU

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based on the conformance with the comprehensive plan

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and with the purposes of zoning.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Acer.

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City Sergeant, can you bring me up?

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Anyone that has signed up to speak

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on item number two, please.

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Thank you.

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The first person that has signed up to speak on this item is Derek Sacko.

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The next person is Gracie Mendez.

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I wonder, City Sergeant, is this for item number two?

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He may have taken the wrong one. It doesn't say I'm going to decide on number two.

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Is there anyone here that signed up to speak on item number two?

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because I see six people signed up on this item,

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but it might be the, your intention may have been

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to speak on a different item,

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exactly.

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So, do we have anybody to speak on item number two?

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All right, so hearing non-city,

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I'll just, can you put this back there?

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All right, hearing that there is no one here

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to speak on item number two,

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I'll enter the motion to close the public hearing

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Second by Councilman Bargas on her favor aye, opposed the ayes have it,

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and after hearing

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the testimony from the CPC, Mr. Azar and all these data facts, I'll entertain a motion

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to approve.

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So moved.

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As amended.

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As amended.

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Motion is made by Councilman Peterson and second by Councilman Bargas on her favor

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aye.

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Opposed?

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The ayes have it.

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that item number two is approved.

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I'll let this in a motion to take another item out of order.

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Second.

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All in favor, aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed, the ayes have it, thank you.

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Madam Clerk, item number four.

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Item number four is a petition from Gilberto

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as applicant and landowner J&B Auto Repair

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and S&E Properties, LLC,

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submitting a zone change for the property located

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on Assessors Pl. 110, Lot 409, 118 Silver Lake Avenue from R3 to C3.

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Thank you.

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Mr. Azar, will you be speaking on this one?

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And now I'll entertain a motion to enter into the record exhibit E.

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May the Councilor Warren Peters, second by Councilor Auden favor aye.

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Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you.

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And I'll let us attest the money to be exhibit.

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Madam Clerk, do you have the exhibit?

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It

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is the letter from the CPC.

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We're doing it.

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Okay.

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Yes.

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And also I'd like to take a motion to enter into the right collection F, which is the

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letter of testimony made by Councilwoman Peterson, second by Councilwoman Baiga, all in favor

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aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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Yes.

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But thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Hazer.

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Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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This petition is for a piece of property that is currently located in the also the

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in the three-family residential zone, and like the last one, this is a non-residential

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use. It's an auto repair facility. And it's a little unclear how this became to be an

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auto repair facility, but the city doesn't recognize it as such. It's possible that

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it had some sort of non-residential use, some commercial use, and over time it kind

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morphed into a auto repair facility without getting the proper zoning, and I believe that

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this is currently under violation and it doesn't have a license to operate.

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So the owner has petitioned to change this to C3, which would allow for auto repair.

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It so happens that there is a C3 zone directly across the street on Farmington Avenue,

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And because of that, and the way that the future land use map of the comprehensive plan is drawn,

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it would be permissible for you to change this to the C3 zone.

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So the City Plan Commission did have concerns about the condition of the site

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and the way that this facility is being operated,

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particularly that there's no screening from neighborhood property and there's no tree canopy or any sort of landscaping at all.

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And there was also some evidence that there had been some storage of vehicles and maybe even some repair being done in the public right of way.

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So these are conditions that have to be the way it's operated with respect to outdoor repairs and things like that.

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Those are going to have to be rectified if they're still going on as a condition of getting a license and complying with zoning.

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But the City Plan Commission in its recommendation to approve this has requested that the petitioners

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screen the property in compliance with Section 1202 AA of the ordinance and that they meet

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the canopy coverage requirements under the supervision of the City Forester.

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We would ask that prior to this zoning change going into effect that they get a zoning

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certificate to indicate conformance with these changes and also there is a request that a

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footnote be added to the map to limit the use of the lot to vehicle repair and service.

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If you don't do that then this lot would be eligible for any other use in the C3 zone.

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So you know if you if you so choose you could you could amend this

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To add that footnote.

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Thank you, Mr.

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Do we not do we have anybody that has signed up to speak on item four?

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City Sergeant, can I get anything you have a night in four?

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On item number four we have Stephanie amongst our which right to come up and speak on item four.

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Oh

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All right, City Sergeant, could you please put this back?

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Mr. Aza, what was the recommended amendment?

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Could you come up again please?

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The recommendation was that a footnote be added

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to the zoning map to limit the use of the lot

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to vehicle repair and service.

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So that would be so that other types

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of commercial uses wouldn't be allowed.

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it would just be for that. So a vehicle and repair service? Yes. Thank you Mr.

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Acer. What that said from Mr. Acer, I want to take a motion to amend number 4 and put

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the food note in there for use for vehicle repair and service. Seconded.

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Seconded. Seconded by Councilman Vargas on a favor, aye. Opposed, the ayes have

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it. I also want to take a motion to close the public hearing on item

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Item number four, seconded by Councilwoman Peterson,

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seconded by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor,

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aye, opposed, the ayes have it.

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Being that no one else signed up to testify on this item,

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so following the instruction from the CPC,

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I want to take that motion to approve.

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As amended.

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As amended.

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Made by Councilwoman Peterson,

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seconded by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor,

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aye, opposed, the ayes have it, thank you.

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Item number four is approved.

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Let me ask you this, because I want to get through the main topics that I hear.

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Did anyone signed up to speak on item five, six, or seven?

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These are zoning matters,

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on item five.

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And we just did four.

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Okay, so I'll let you take a motion to take another item out of order.

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Second by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Bagas,

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and a favor, aye.

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Opposed?

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The ayes have it.

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Madam Clerk, item number five, please.

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Item number five is a petition from America M. Scungio.

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Esquire, Scungio, and Priolo, 167 Main Street, Westerly, Rhode Island, 02891, requesting a zone

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change for the property located on Assessors Pl. 32, a portion of Lot 38, 268 Carpenter

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Street from R3 to C2.

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Thank you, Madam Clerk, and we also have a sub-A on item number five, so I'd like to

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take a motion to enter into the record sub-A, made by Councilwoman Peterson, second by

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Councilman Vagga, all in favor, aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. I'll also enter in a motion

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to enter into the record exhibit F and exhibit G, which is a letter of testimony as well as

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a letter from the CPC. May the Councilwoman Peterson, second by Councilman Vagga, all

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in favor, aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you. City Sergeant, can I get the

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signed up list for item number five please.

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And this one we have America, I'm sorry, Mr.

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Aza please first. Mr. America, just give me a second here.

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Mr.

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Chair, okay, this one is a, there's a piece of property that's surrounded, a piece

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of property on Carpenter Street that's surrounded by property in the C2 zone.

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All of it is owned by the same property owner, and it's used for commercial purposes except

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this property at 268 Carpenter has a house on it, but the rear yard of it is also used

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for commercial purposes.

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And originally there was a bit of a convoluted request to change the zoning for two different

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parcels, but in speaking with the petitioner, everybody agreed that the goal here is to make

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it so that the most of 268 carpenter can be used for commercial purposes.

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So our suggestion was to simply change that lot from R3 to C2.

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to. As I said, it's surrounded to the west, south, and east by C2 already. And there is

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a house there. There are residential uses which are allowed in the C2 zone. So this

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is a very simple zoning change. It's supported by the future land use map of a comprehensive

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of plan and the City Planning Commission unanimously approved a recommendation for the City Council

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to change this to C2.

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Thank you, Mr. Azar.

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Okay, Mariko,

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good evening.

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My name is Mariko Scungio, I represent the applicant.

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I just wanted to bring to the attention of the committee that the petition was amended

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As Mr. Hazar said that the entire portion of the lot at 268 and the amended petition is proposed to be changed to C2 from the R3 zone and that the second petition which is number six on your agenda was withdrawn.

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Just wanted to make sure that that was clear on the record.

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We have that.

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Okay. Thank you.

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That's all.

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Thank you so much.

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Okay, being that no one else signed up on item five,

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I'll enter that motion to close the public hearing

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on item five.

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Second.

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Second by Councilwoman Peterson,

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second by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor, aye.

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00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:20,720
Aye.

244
00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,160
Opposed, the ayes have it.

245
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,880
And I'll entertain a motion to pass item five

246
00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:27,760
as amended.

247
00:19:29,180 --> 00:19:29,740
Second.

248
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:30,740
Second by Councilwoman Peterson,

249
00:19:31,020 --> 00:19:33,280
second by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor, aye.

250
00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,240
Opposed, the ayes have it.

251
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:36,620
Item number five is approved.

252
00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,360
I'll entertain a motion to take another item out of order.

253
00:19:46,260 --> 00:19:46,780
Second.

254
00:19:47,660 --> 00:19:50,760
Made by Councilman Peterson, second by Councilman Beigel

255
00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:51,420
and in favor of aye.

256
00:19:52,020 --> 00:19:53,060
Opposed, the ayes have a.

257
00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:54,620
Madam Clerk, item number six, please.

258
00:19:57,330 --> 00:19:59,250
Item number six is a petition from

259
00:19:59,250 --> 00:20:02,010
America M. Scungio, Esquire, Scungio,

260
00:20:02,130 --> 00:20:04,230
Empriola 167 Main Street,

261
00:20:04,430 --> 00:20:06,410
Westerly, Rhode Island, 02891,

262
00:20:06,970 --> 00:20:08,850
requesting a zone change for the property

263
00:20:08,850 --> 00:20:11,070
located on Assessors Pl. 32,

264
00:20:11,070 --> 00:20:15,510
to a portion of Lot 596, 1155 Westminster Street

265
00:20:15,510 --> 00:20:17,570
from C2 to R3.

266
00:20:18,130 --> 00:20:18,770
Thank you.

267
00:20:19,290 --> 00:20:21,110
Being that the petitioner has requested

268
00:20:21,610 --> 00:20:23,010
for this item to be withdrawn,

269
00:20:23,630 --> 00:20:25,790
I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing

270
00:20:25,790 --> 00:20:26,930
on item number six,

271
00:20:27,510 --> 00:20:28,630
made by Councilwoman Peterson,

272
00:20:28,870 --> 00:20:30,970
seconded by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor, aye.

273
00:20:31,590 --> 00:20:32,710
Opposed, the ayes have it.

274
00:20:33,050 --> 00:20:35,170
And I'll entertain a motion to continue indefinitely.

275
00:20:36,230 --> 00:20:37,130
Made by Councilwoman Peterson,

276
00:20:37,450 --> 00:20:39,590
seconded by Councilwoman Vargas on her favor, aye.

277
00:20:39,590 --> 00:20:41,290
Opposed, the ayes have it.

278
00:20:41,490 --> 00:20:43,070
Item number six is continuing definitely.

279
00:20:43,490 --> 00:20:43,710
Thank you.

280
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,660
Wishing to take another item out of order, please.

281
00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:51,880
Made by Councilwoman Peterson.

282
00:20:52,340 --> 00:20:53,520
Second by Councilwoman Vargas.

283
00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:54,740
All in favor, aye.

284
00:20:55,820 --> 00:20:57,300
Opposed, the ayes have it.

285
00:20:57,380 --> 00:20:57,740
Thank you.

286
00:20:58,100 --> 00:20:59,560
Final clerk, item number seven, please.

287
00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,020
Item number seven is a petition from Jeffrey Padwa,

288
00:21:04,500 --> 00:21:06,560
Esquire One Park Row, fifth floor,

289
00:21:06,700 --> 00:21:08,560
Providence, Rhode Island, 02903,

290
00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:13,100
dated July 1st, 2025 on behalf of OneCharles,

291
00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,120
the applicant LLC requesting to amend

292
00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:17,820
the Providence Zoning Ordinance

293
00:21:17,820 --> 00:21:19,560
to change the zoning district

294
00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,960
for the parcel located at OneCharles Street,

295
00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:27,400
assesses plat three lot 616 from R4 to D145

296
00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,780
to allow the continued use of the property

297
00:21:31,780 --> 00:21:33,140
as short-term rental

298
00:21:33,140 --> 00:21:36,140
without an owner occupancy requirement.

299
00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:40,350
Thank you. Mr. Azar.

300
00:21:47,260 --> 00:21:55,800
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This property on Charles Street is directly

301
00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:05,920
across the street from the D1 downtown zone. It's surrounded by a multifamily complex,

302
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:15,220
and it consists of historic brick mill type building that we understand has been

303
00:22:15,220 --> 00:22:23,280
used for short-term rentals for a number of years. With the comprehensive plan we

304
00:22:25,060 --> 00:22:33,900
expanded the R4 zone in part, well primarily, to generate more housing in

305
00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:41,760
the city and because we wanted long-term housing we imposed a condition on the

306
00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:49,420
R4 zone that any short-term rentals have to be owner occupied so this this

307
00:22:49,420 --> 00:22:57,800
petition came to us because they've had a long-term short-term rental here and

308
00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,760
they want to continue to operate it that way but not with the requirement

309
00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:11,520
that it be owner-occupied, and given its location directly adjacent to downtown, a logical zoning

310
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:19,020
change to effectuate the goal of the petition would be to include it in the downtown zone,

311
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:24,960
but at the 45-foot height limit, that's what D-145 means.

312
00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:41,260
And that would also provide some protection as it is a historic building against any kind of demolition without a significant review.

313
00:23:43,060 --> 00:23:50,880
And so the City Plan Commission considered this and given its location, which is, again,

314
00:23:52,240 --> 00:24:00,040
you know, kind of in a downtown location and not in the neighborhoods, not in the more

315
00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:05,200
residential neighborhoods, the commission felt like this was a reasonable request.

316
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:11,460
So they voted to make a positive recommendation to change this zoning to D 145

317
00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:13,660
Thank You miss days on

318
00:24:14,580 --> 00:24:18,640
City Sergeant, do we have anybody that signed up on item number seven?

319
00:25:13,070 --> 00:25:15,950
Good evening, Mr. Chairman members of the committee. Thank you so much

320
00:25:16,470 --> 00:25:24,290
Appreciate your time and attention. This is I represent Carlos Varum and the LLC one trials LLC the owner of this building

321
00:25:24,290 --> 00:25:30,370
building. These images were part of our petition. You can see kind of the unique location of

322
00:25:30,370 --> 00:25:36,690
this property. If you go down South Main Street and North Main Street goes to the right, and

323
00:25:36,690 --> 00:25:40,030
Charles Street goes straight, and he's just on that little tongue right where the Moshassik

324
00:25:40,030 --> 00:25:44,450
River is. You can see it's an old mill building. He did buy the building about four or five

325
00:25:44,450 --> 00:25:49,390
years ago and complied with the requirement that he get a special permit every year

326
00:25:49,390 --> 00:25:56,630
to use this for the short-term rental.

327
00:25:57,910 --> 00:25:59,910
The zone change, recent zone change,

328
00:26:00,050 --> 00:26:01,790
then required is to be owner-occupied.

329
00:26:01,850 --> 00:26:03,910
This is not owner-occupied kind of a building

330
00:26:03,910 --> 00:26:06,130
and so that's why we're requesting the zone change.

331
00:26:06,930 --> 00:26:08,790
As Mr. Azar said, it is consistent

332
00:26:08,790 --> 00:26:11,670
with the comprehensive plans and conformance

333
00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:13,510
with the goals and objectives of the zoning ordinance,

334
00:26:14,050 --> 00:26:16,830
also supported by Councilwoman Andrew Bois.

335
00:26:18,350 --> 00:26:21,810
Thank you. Any questions from my committee members?

336
00:26:22,730 --> 00:26:24,070
Here and now, thank you so much.

337
00:26:25,270 --> 00:26:26,150
I think I have a question.

338
00:26:27,290 --> 00:26:29,430
Councillor Mabarraga, please. Jeff, please.

339
00:26:29,970 --> 00:26:31,150
Sorry. I'm so sorry.

340
00:26:31,890 --> 00:26:36,870
So the short-term rental is the whole building or one unit?

341
00:26:40,260 --> 00:26:41,580
All five units in the building.

342
00:26:41,700 --> 00:26:42,840
All five units short-term rental.

343
00:26:43,060 --> 00:26:46,460
Yes. Short-term rental means like RBMB, something like that.

344
00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:46,940
Yes.

345
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:49,120
Thank you.

346
00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,460
Carlos, would you like to speak on this or?

347
00:26:57,340 --> 00:26:59,740
How are you? My name is Carlos Varum. Good evening.

348
00:27:00,820 --> 00:27:09,440
I'm the owner, one of the owners of one Charles LLC. The other owners are my wife, Jennifer, and my two parents.

349
00:27:10,620 --> 00:27:17,620
We've been investing in Providence for a long time, bringing dead properties and distressed properties back to life.

350
00:27:20,220 --> 00:27:27,840
and we have a lot of long-term rentals in the city and we have a little bit of

351
00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,120
short-term rentals as well here.

352
00:27:31,340 --> 00:27:35,480
We've been doing it for over six years. On any

353
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:39,140
given day, there's 20-25 people working for us between managing,

354
00:27:39,140 --> 00:27:45,080
building, communications, cleaning, laundry, deliveries, maintenance, et cetera.

355
00:27:48,770 --> 00:27:51,870
In 2022, as Jeff said, we did purchase this property.

356
00:27:52,450 --> 00:27:58,870
It was used as commercial, and we turned it into five residential units.

357
00:28:01,590 --> 00:28:09,150
We closed on May 2022, and on June 2022, we pulled our first temporary use permit for

358
00:28:09,150 --> 00:28:15,870
short-term rentals there. We've consistently renewed that every single year since we've

359
00:28:15,870 --> 00:28:23,070
owned the building. During this time, it co-existed peacefully with surrounding properties. There's

360
00:28:23,070 --> 00:28:27,770
been no nuisance complaints, zoning violations, or enforcement actions.

361
00:28:29,830 --> 00:28:31,170
The rentals have

362
00:28:31,170 --> 00:28:36,710
not resulted in any traffic congestion, parking problems, or degradation of neighborhood

363
00:28:36,710 --> 00:28:47,430
character, guess have been well managed. Operations are very professional, consistent with hospitality

364
00:28:47,430 --> 00:28:51,130
model that benefits the city and the economy.

365
00:28:54,110 --> 00:28:54,850
Thank you.

366
00:28:54,910 --> 00:29:00,350
Thank you, Mr. Van. I see it's a family business. We appreciate that and thank you for investing

367
00:29:00,350 --> 00:29:00,910
in Providence.

368
00:29:01,210 --> 00:29:01,590
Thank you.

369
00:29:01,590 --> 00:29:02,010
Thank you.

370
00:29:04,180 --> 00:29:06,920
I'll entertain a motion to close the one

371
00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:12,120
that I just got.

372
00:29:17,580 --> 00:29:19,000
Before we close the public hearing,

373
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,180
I'll entertain a motion to enter into the record,

374
00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,920
exhibit I, which is a CPC letter,

375
00:29:24,580 --> 00:29:25,640
may by Councilwoman Peterson,

376
00:29:25,940 --> 00:29:27,080
second by Councilwoman Vargas,

377
00:29:27,180 --> 00:29:27,960
on our favor, aye.

378
00:29:28,700 --> 00:29:29,760
Oppose, the ayes have it.

379
00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:30,600
Thank you.

380
00:29:31,260 --> 00:29:33,880
And now I'll entertain a motion to close the public

381
00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:35,700
hearing on item number seven.

382
00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:37,660
May by Councilwoman Peterson,

383
00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,280
second by Councilwoman Vargas,

384
00:29:39,460 --> 00:29:40,200
on our favor, aye.

385
00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,640
Opposed, the ayes have it. Now I'd like to take a motion to approve item 7.

386
00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,920
Seconded by Councilwoman Peterson, seconded by Councilwoman Bygaston.

387
00:29:49,980 --> 00:29:51,180
Opposed, the ayes have it.

388
00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:52,500
Can I be a record to oppose?

389
00:29:54,620 --> 00:29:54,920
I'm sorry.

390
00:29:55,540 --> 00:29:56,060
What was that?

391
00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:56,840
Item 7.

392
00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:58,360
You're abstaining?

393
00:29:58,820 --> 00:29:59,260
No, oppose.

394
00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,480
So we have 300 positive, one in the negative, the motion passes. Thank you.

395
00:30:10,970 --> 00:30:17,490
Okay, so now we'll go back to item number one, which is pertaining to entertainment.

396
00:30:18,330 --> 00:30:23,890
Before we do that, I'd like to acknowledge our city solicitor who is here tonight.

397
00:30:24,430 --> 00:30:29,090
Thank you so much for being here. Council President Rachel Miller is also here.

398
00:30:30,810 --> 00:30:33,530
Councilman Miguel Sanchez, thank you for being here.

399
00:30:33,530 --> 00:30:37,510
Councilwoman Harris, Chairwoman Ryan was also here.

400
00:30:37,650 --> 00:30:39,570
My apologies that I didn't acknowledge you before.

401
00:30:40,110 --> 00:30:41,870
Chief of Staff and our policy team.

402
00:30:42,050 --> 00:30:43,110
Thank you so much for being here.

403
00:30:43,670 --> 00:30:45,390
Madam Clerk, Item Number 1, please.

404
00:30:46,430 --> 00:30:49,850
Item Number 1 is an ordinance in amendment of Chapter 27

405
00:30:49,850 --> 00:30:52,810
of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Providence

406
00:30:52,810 --> 00:30:55,550
entitled, The City of Providence Zoning Ordinance

407
00:30:56,030 --> 00:31:00,090
approved November 24, 2014 as amended to change

408
00:31:00,090 --> 00:31:03,130
to change articles 2 and 12 relating to entertainment.

409
00:31:04,510 --> 00:31:05,270
Thank you.

410
00:31:06,690 --> 00:31:09,470
I also have a sub-bay on item number one,

411
00:31:09,610 --> 00:31:11,750
so I'll entertain a motion to enter into the record,

412
00:31:11,910 --> 00:31:14,930
sub-bay, made by Councilwoman Peterson,

413
00:31:15,150 --> 00:31:16,710
seconded by Councilwoman Varga,

414
00:31:16,910 --> 00:31:17,770
so I'll enter in favor of aye.

415
00:31:18,490 --> 00:31:20,130
Opposed, the ayes have it, thank you.

416
00:31:20,830 --> 00:31:24,810
I also have entered in a motion to enter

417
00:31:24,810 --> 00:31:27,850
into the record, exhibit B,

418
00:31:27,850 --> 00:31:35,530
and also see which are letters of our testimony maybe I guess woman Peterson

419
00:31:35,530 --> 00:31:44,140
second second by Councilman Vargas on a favor I oppose the ice habit I'll also

420
00:31:44,140 --> 00:31:49,860
entertain a motion to enter into the record exhibit see we

421
00:31:52,070 --> 00:31:53,410
don't order so

422
00:32:07,780 --> 00:32:13,660
we have thank you so much okay mr. A's up please good

423
00:32:25,940 --> 00:32:27,060
evening again mr. A's

424
00:32:27,060 --> 00:32:28,020
Good evening again.

425
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:29,980
This is item number one, correct?

426
00:32:30,420 --> 00:32:30,680
Yes.

427
00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:31,500
Just want to make sure.

428
00:32:31,980 --> 00:32:37,140
Okay, so this ordinance is actually relatively simple.

429
00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:43,260
It would make some amendments to the way we deal

430
00:32:43,260 --> 00:32:46,060
with entertainment in the zoning ordinance.

431
00:32:48,190 --> 00:32:50,680
Incidental entertainment is a definition

432
00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,980
that is proposed to be changed.

433
00:32:52,980 --> 00:33:00,240
and incidental entertainment, we created this a number of years ago which is

434
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:05,780
specifically entertainment that doesn't need an entertainment license from the

435
00:33:05,780 --> 00:33:11,100
Board of Licensing and it was always intended to be background music and

436
00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:17,640
and the way it was originally defined was music that was played over an

437
00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:27,220
existing sound system with a previously established playlist. And then if it was live music performance,

438
00:33:27,420 --> 00:33:32,160
it was limited to not more than a maximum of three acoustic instruments that couldn't

439
00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:39,300
be amplified in any way. So even if you had in the corner of a restaurant someone playing

440
00:33:39,300 --> 00:33:44,160
acoustic guitar with a microphone that wasn't at a loud volume, that wouldn't even be

441
00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:50,520
allowed because it was amplified, although you could have music that was amplified over

442
00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:51,800
a sound system.

443
00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:56,320
So there were some inconsistencies in the way this was originally written.

444
00:33:57,220 --> 00:34:02,600
And so the intention of this is to change the definition of incidental entertainment

445
00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:10,360
so that it allows for live music performance, it allows for pre-recorded music played

446
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:18,740
from a pre-selected playlist, but there's no limit on the number of instrumentalists

447
00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:23,140
and there's no prohibition on instrumental music being amplified.

448
00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:32,620
However, there is still a prohibition against sound permeating beyond the premises, and

449
00:34:32,620 --> 00:34:42,640
And there are also limitations, there are new proposed limitations on live performance

450
00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:47,760
that it would have to cease by 9 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends.

451
00:34:50,220 --> 00:34:56,720
There currently is a prohibition against a cover charge that would remain.

452
00:34:56,720 --> 00:35:04,780
There's currently a prohibition against lasers and strobe lights and flashing lights that would remain.

453
00:35:05,580 --> 00:35:08,700
There's currently a prohibition against dancing.

454
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:24,060
That would not, that would be lifted so that if someone were so moved to dance based on the music that would be performed,

455
00:35:24,060 --> 00:35:25,640
they'd be allowed to do that,

456
00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:27,040
there wouldn't be a zoning violation.

457
00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,880
So in our opinion, these are common sense changes,

458
00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,380
things that are frankly happening already

459
00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:39,400
without causing any problems.

460
00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,060
So that's a change.

461
00:35:42,540 --> 00:35:46,420
And then we also are proposing a change

462
00:35:46,420 --> 00:35:51,260
to what is currently called temporary outdoor entertainment.

463
00:35:51,260 --> 00:35:57,180
There was a category that was created so that you could have temporary outdoor entertainment,

464
00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:05,140
which might mean music at a block party, music at a wedding that might be in somebody's house,

465
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:13,360
or in a place where entertainment is not typically allowed, like in a commercial zone.

466
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:24,060
The issue is that while we had a process to allow for temporary outdoor entertainment,

467
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:30,680
there was no real process in these same areas to allow for temporary indoor entertainment.

468
00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:39,160
So this is kind of a cleanup that clarifies that temporary entertainment would be allowed

469
00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:43,640
in a number of different places, but under strict rules.

470
00:36:44,540 --> 00:36:46,920
No more than nine events per calendar year

471
00:36:47,500 --> 00:36:50,020
with a minimum of 30 days between events.

472
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:52,960
Temporary structures have to be removed

473
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,700
within five days of the conclusion of an event.

474
00:36:56,940 --> 00:37:00,940
And also the entertainment would be,

475
00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:04,200
have to be located on a piece of property

476
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,700
as opposed to the public right of way

477
00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:09,360
unless an encroachment permit would be allowed

478
00:37:10,660 --> 00:37:13,140
by the Department of Public Works.

479
00:37:14,060 --> 00:37:18,300
And then finally, temporary entertainment would be,

480
00:37:19,100 --> 00:37:21,820
would have to get a license by the Board of Licenses.

481
00:37:22,940 --> 00:37:26,460
We had previously allowed the zoning official

482
00:37:26,460 --> 00:37:28,280
to issue temporary use permits.

483
00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:30,640
We're proposing that to be changed

484
00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:34,240
so that you'd have to get a license.

485
00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:43,600
So in many ways, this clarifies, rationalizes, and tightens up the current regulations.

486
00:37:44,420 --> 00:37:58,860
In my opinion and the opinion of the City Plan Commission, these are common sense rules that will still allow for robust enforcement of our quality of life ordinances.

487
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:04,880
And therefore the City Plan Commission recommended approval of this ordinance.

488
00:38:05,580 --> 00:38:11,640
Thank you Bob. So regardless whether the entertainment would happen inside or outside,

489
00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,320
you would still be required to get a license by the Board of Licenses?

490
00:38:15,820 --> 00:38:27,380
Yes, for temporary entertainment and also for what we call live entertainment, ancillary use.

491
00:38:27,380 --> 00:38:34,200
And that requirement also applies to night clubs, which are not the subject of this ordinance,

492
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:35,640
but that already exists.

493
00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:41,340
The only type of entertainment that doesn't require a license from the Board of Licenses

494
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:46,860
is what we call incidental entertainment, otherwise known as background music.

495
00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:49,840
Which now could be live music?

496
00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:56,820
It has always been allowed to be live, but live musicians can have a certain degree

497
00:38:56,820 --> 00:39:06,320
of amplification, but no more than, the amplification will have to be contained to the premises.

498
00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,920
Because the noise ordinance is still being enforced.

499
00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:19,900
The noise ordinance is absolutely in effect regardless, even for night clubs, even for, you know, ticketed events and such.

500
00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:24,940
And you're not allowing for extra lighting or anything like that that will make it like into a bar?

501
00:39:24,940 --> 00:39:33,000
No, we're not, we're proposing to keep those same regulations in place for incidental entertainment.

502
00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:34,620
Thank you.

503
00:39:37,180 --> 00:39:40,280
Mr. Aza, Councilor Peterson,

504
00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:47,560
Councilor Maroyas.

505
00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:49,300
Thank you, Chair.

506
00:39:50,220 --> 00:39:56,920
Mr. Aza, I just had a, could you briefly run down the difference, the different levels

507
00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:06,940
of scrutiny between the, what's in the power and toolkit of a zoning board versus board

508
00:40:06,940 --> 00:40:15,840
of licenses? Should, in the scope of, should there be infractions? What is in the power

509
00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:16,620
of both bodies?

510
00:40:16,720 --> 00:40:23,300
Yeah, that's a good question. So the zoning board and the board of licenses have different

511
00:40:23,300 --> 00:40:28,000
authorities, they both regulate aspects of what can happen on a piece of property.

512
00:40:28,940 --> 00:40:41,320
The zoning board, for things that relate to the way a business performs or sort of ongoing,

513
00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:50,220
if there are conditions of getting an approval, that's usually what we call a special use

514
00:40:50,220 --> 00:40:56,740
use permit. Violations of a special use permit get enforced by the Department of Inspection

515
00:40:56,740 --> 00:41:04,280
and Standards. So they have their own inspectors that would go to a facility and if they see

516
00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:12,160
a violation, a violation would be issued. And you would have to, there's a process

517
00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:15,160
that's where you end up going to housing court

518
00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:17,960
or ultimately superior court depending

519
00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:23,240
on how the city decides to prosecute the violation.

520
00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:27,980
But that has to, those have to be regulations

521
00:41:27,980 --> 00:41:30,700
that are specifically written into the zoning ordinance

522
00:41:30,700 --> 00:41:33,340
that pertain to that type of use.

523
00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:38,480
The Board of Licenses issues licenses

524
00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:48,640
licenses for things like liquor licenses and entertainment and they actually have police

525
00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:59,240
officers who will go out to the facilities and inspect. I'm a little bit out on a limb

526
00:41:59,240 --> 00:42:03,860
here and I'm going to, if I get something wrong, I hope my colleague will correct me

527
00:42:03,860 --> 00:42:09,840
that I think they, more so than inspection and standards

528
00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:14,920
have the ability to or commonly do inspections after hours.

529
00:42:15,500 --> 00:42:19,640
So for things like nightclubs or entertainment facilities,

530
00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:23,200
I would argue that it's much more appropriate

531
00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:26,380
for the Board of Licenses to be doing the enforcement

532
00:42:26,380 --> 00:42:28,440
than inspection and standards.

533
00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:34,080
And they also inspect for different things.

534
00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:43,240
they're inspecting for conditions of the license and you know you know if there's

535
00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:48,740
unruly behavior or things like that they can they can bring it to the attention

536
00:42:48,740 --> 00:42:53,700
of the Board of Licenses and the Board of Licenses could actually take some action

537
00:42:53,700 --> 00:42:55,700
with respect to the license itself.

538
00:42:58,130 --> 00:43:00,110
Absolutely, go ahead Councilman. Thank

539
00:43:00,110 --> 00:43:05,390
Thank you. Just so I understand clearly. Kate, can you hear me?

540
00:43:06,190 --> 00:43:07,950
Thank you. Let me move this up closer.

541
00:43:10,550 --> 00:43:19,990
Currently right now, so is it a zoning board that is approving permits for sort of temporary,

542
00:43:20,270 --> 00:43:24,730
you know, entertainment events outside and indoors?

543
00:43:25,590 --> 00:43:27,070
Is that what they're currently doing?

544
00:43:27,990 --> 00:43:34,090
Actually, no, it's not the zoning board, it's the zoning official, which is an individual

545
00:43:34,090 --> 00:43:38,110
who sits within the Department of Inspection and Standards.

546
00:43:40,850 --> 00:43:43,810
There aren't really significant

547
00:43:43,810 --> 00:43:51,990
criteria for the issuance of these things. So the fact that temporary entertainment

548
00:43:51,990 --> 00:43:55,730
now has to go to the licensing board, I think it's actually going to be a little

549
00:43:55,730 --> 00:44:03,630
stricter and a little bit more transparent of a process, it will be more of a public process

550
00:44:04,030 --> 00:44:04,970
than it is today.

551
00:44:05,490 --> 00:44:06,630
Thank you.

552
00:44:08,990 --> 00:44:11,050
Thank you very much, sir.

553
00:44:12,610 --> 00:44:19,430
You mentioned the 9 p.m. on weekdays, right, and 11 p.m. on weekends.

554
00:44:22,140 --> 00:44:23,300
What about the holidays?

555
00:44:27,590 --> 00:44:35,010
It's a good question. Well, I would say that if a holiday falls on a weeknight, it would be 9 p.m.

556
00:44:35,410 --> 00:44:37,890
And if it falls on a weekend, it would be 11 p.m.

557
00:44:37,950 --> 00:44:40,770
Because we usually have Mondays as a holiday.

558
00:44:42,610 --> 00:44:42,770
Yep.

559
00:44:43,150 --> 00:44:48,890
Does it's going to be a specific Monday? Can they play into 11?

560
00:44:52,090 --> 00:44:53,930
Not according to...

561
00:44:55,210 --> 00:44:58,470
This thing shuts off every two minutes.

562
00:45:01,230 --> 00:45:02,010
What's that?

563
00:45:04,020 --> 00:45:04,880
Oh, I see.

564
00:45:09,330 --> 00:45:11,890
I'm sure you can make the best of them, Mr. Azar.

565
00:45:12,250 --> 00:45:20,130
Yeah, doing the best I can. It looks like number eight keeps coming on. I don't know. Jim Taylor, the ghost of Jim Taylor.

566
00:45:20,330 --> 00:45:20,530
Yeah.

567
00:45:21,790 --> 00:45:22,230
So...

568
00:45:22,230 --> 00:45:22,750
Here's a ghost.

569
00:45:26,230 --> 00:45:33,210
So, yeah, this does not differentiate between holidays and non-holidays. I mean, that's

570
00:45:33,210 --> 00:45:40,570
something that, you know, if it were your desire, you could certainly make an amendment there.

571
00:45:41,310 --> 00:45:46,350
I don't know how you'd do it. Would you say the night before a holiday or would you say

572
00:45:46,350 --> 00:45:55,830
the night of a holiday, I don't know. Because when we say weekend we start, can I? Sure.

573
00:45:56,390 --> 00:46:03,530
When we say weekend we start Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, right? That's a weekend.

574
00:46:07,310 --> 00:46:08,150
You know,

575
00:46:11,700 --> 00:46:13,970
I don't know that I would interpret it that way,

576
00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:20,620
but that's a fair point. According

577
00:46:20,620 --> 00:46:25,800
According to the amendment, it's from Monday through Friday, it closes at 9 p.m.

578
00:46:28,710 --> 00:46:33,610
I would agree with that, 9 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends.

579
00:46:34,770 --> 00:46:40,610
So that does allow up to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

580
00:46:43,010 --> 00:46:50,610
Maybe if the intention, if there is an intention to include Friday in the 11 o'clock curfew,

581
00:46:50,610 --> 00:46:54,590
then we'd have to tweak the language a bit.

582
00:46:55,530 --> 00:46:57,030
And also the holiday.

583
00:47:00,830 --> 00:47:04,010
It's at the council's discretion, certainly.

584
00:47:04,510 --> 00:47:06,690
My understanding is that holidays,

585
00:47:07,610 --> 00:47:11,630
when they fall during the week, they're considered part of the weekend,

586
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:15,930
they get treated as holidays, as weekends.

587
00:47:18,990 --> 00:47:20,250
This is where...

588
00:47:20,250 --> 00:47:21,810
From past practices.

589
00:47:23,010 --> 00:47:35,890
Yeah, what I would suggest is that if you intend to allow for holidays to be included

590
00:47:35,890 --> 00:47:41,890
or if you intend to allow for Fridays to be included, when it comes to zoning language

591
00:47:41,890 --> 00:47:44,790
you should be as specific as you possibly can.

592
00:47:44,790 --> 00:47:50,850
And I'd be more than willing to help with that language.

593
00:47:51,790 --> 00:47:59,970
If you were just a question to you, if you were to want to allow holiday nights to go until 11,

594
00:48:00,630 --> 00:48:04,870
would it be the actual day of the holiday or the day before the holiday?

595
00:48:05,070 --> 00:48:06,490
It's the actually day of the holiday.

596
00:48:06,570 --> 00:48:07,330
The day of the holiday.

597
00:48:07,450 --> 00:48:09,530
Because holiday always falls on Monday.

598
00:48:11,210 --> 00:48:13,850
Unless it's the 4th of July or Christmas.

599
00:48:15,190 --> 00:48:15,910
Thank

600
00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:31,160
you very much. Deputy Director, I have a quick question for you with regards to what

601
00:48:31,160 --> 00:48:41,580
was removed or stricken from under temporary use standards, numbers three and four, where

602
00:48:41,580 --> 00:48:46,840
it says outdoor entertainment shall not interfere with any pedestrian access or parking spaces

603
00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:56,720
pieces and then the one above it. Can I ask why those particular pieces were removed?

604
00:48:59,930 --> 00:49:17,130
Okay, so number three was removed because this proposal has temporary entertainment now requiring

605
00:49:17,130 --> 00:49:20,790
a license as opposed to a temporary use permit.

606
00:49:21,530 --> 00:49:28,390
So three is no longer pertinent because it refers

607
00:49:28,390 --> 00:49:32,090
to the standards under which a temporary use permit

608
00:49:32,370 --> 00:49:33,250
is issued.

609
00:49:33,950 --> 00:49:37,850
So because it would require a license,

610
00:49:38,310 --> 00:49:41,350
it would be the criteria that the licensing board uses

611
00:49:41,350 --> 00:49:42,830
to grant it.

612
00:49:42,830 --> 00:49:49,310
And then number four where it says outdoor entertainment shall not interfere with any

613
00:49:49,310 --> 00:49:52,230
pedestrian access or parking spaces and aisles.

614
00:49:54,410 --> 00:50:04,090
This is, again, this would generalize temporary entertainment not to be just temporary outdoor

615
00:50:04,090 --> 00:50:07,310
entertainment but temporary entertainment of all types.

616
00:50:07,310 --> 00:50:14,630
and this item number four is kind of,

617
00:50:15,050 --> 00:50:18,610
so it would only apply to outdoor entertainment

618
00:50:19,510 --> 00:50:24,350
and it's saying something that's already a rule

619
00:50:24,570 --> 00:50:29,910
that's covered by other rules.

620
00:50:32,350 --> 00:50:36,190
You can't, so outdoor

621
00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:44,100
entertainment

622
00:50:44,100 --> 00:50:48,240
shall not interfere with any pedestrian access or parking spaces and aisles.

623
00:50:48,900 --> 00:50:57,600
There are other regulations that would govern blocking pedestrian access or parking spaces.

624
00:50:58,300 --> 00:51:07,200
When it comes to parking spaces, there may be outdoor entertainment that is in a parking

625
00:51:07,200 --> 00:51:13,740
lot and if there is enough parking and it's not needed for the business, there could

626
00:51:13,740 --> 00:51:20,160
be entertainment outside in a parking lot. So I think that's proposed to be stricken

627
00:51:21,680 --> 00:51:28,740
because it's either something that's regulated elsewhere or it's something that's not necessary

628
00:51:28,740 --> 00:51:29,620
to be regulated.

629
00:51:35,860 --> 00:51:40,680
Go right ahead. Thank you. This question, and I'm not sure it might

630
00:51:40,680 --> 00:51:44,120
not actually be for you, Deputy Director, it might actually be for Director Juicy.

631
00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:49,780
A couple of the points of feedback that I got from the businesses in my neighborhood

632
00:51:49,780 --> 00:51:57,600
was understanding under the parameters of incidental entertainment the things that could be utilized.

633
00:51:59,010 --> 00:52:05,940
One of the feedback notes was you can have a live performer, you can have a mic and

634
00:52:05,940 --> 00:52:10,280
a speaker, but you actually can't have trivia or karaoke.

635
00:52:11,260 --> 00:52:14,540
And in my neighborhood, we don't have a lot of large nightclubs.

636
00:52:14,660 --> 00:52:17,680
We have more smaller bars and restaurant establishments.

637
00:52:19,040 --> 00:52:23,740
And one of the pieces or one of the kind of feedback notes was,

638
00:52:23,820 --> 00:52:31,440
well, why can't we do some of those things to garner people to get people to come into the neighborhood establishments?

639
00:52:31,740 --> 00:52:38,820
So I kind of wanted to understand if we allow that, if we do not allow that, why do we not allow that?

640
00:52:38,820 --> 00:52:40,680
And if we don't allow that, can we allow that?

641
00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:44,480
Understandable?

642
00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:48,500
Yeah, that's a fair point.

643
00:52:48,980 --> 00:52:53,320
So I would say karaoke certainly would fall

644
00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:56,040
into live music performance.

645
00:52:58,040 --> 00:53:03,400
It's actually an interesting point about trivia nights

646
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:13,280
lights, or other sorts of, or comedy, things that are, that are live, that are amplified,

647
00:53:14,120 --> 00:53:21,920
but are not necessarily music. So I don't think that, that what you're talking about,

648
00:53:22,140 --> 00:53:29,940
as long as there's no flashing lights, there's no, the volume isn't too high, that there's

649
00:53:29,940 --> 00:53:37,920
no cover charge. I don't see why those couldn't fit. This is really a performance standard

650
00:53:37,920 --> 00:53:44,680
in the sense that as long as you keep it contained within the building and you're not charging

651
00:53:44,680 --> 00:53:54,140
for it and it's incidental to the main thing that's happening, like a restaurant or a bar,

652
00:53:54,140 --> 00:53:57,320
but it's just somewhat of an enhancement.

653
00:53:57,540 --> 00:54:00,100
I don't see why those things couldn't be permissible.

654
00:54:00,300 --> 00:54:03,500
It sounds to me that the two feature,

655
00:54:03,760 --> 00:54:07,300
Councilwoman, that you described fall under the DJ,

656
00:54:08,980 --> 00:54:11,080
which usually do the karaoke,

657
00:54:11,380 --> 00:54:12,520
usually they do the trivia.

658
00:54:15,570 --> 00:54:15,970
Absolutely.

659
00:54:19,220 --> 00:54:21,920
Director Juicy, I would love your input on this

660
00:54:21,920 --> 00:54:23,220
and it might be this,

661
00:54:23,320 --> 00:54:25,380
but I'm wondering if there's a way around that

662
00:54:25,380 --> 00:54:27,980
because this isn't something to me

663
00:54:27,980 --> 00:54:32,820
that is high levels of volume in any way?

664
00:54:34,540 --> 00:54:35,520
Yeah, absolutely.

665
00:54:36,100 --> 00:54:38,320
Good evening, Chairman and members of the committee.

666
00:54:38,980 --> 00:54:41,160
So basically on the first page,

667
00:54:41,360 --> 00:54:42,240
you see the use matrix.

668
00:54:43,020 --> 00:54:45,960
The use matrix, it's intended for live entertainment.

669
00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:50,300
So if you look at the first row,

670
00:54:51,100 --> 00:54:54,520
you can see where the recommended changes are in red

671
00:54:55,200 --> 00:54:57,060
and where it already is permitted,

672
00:54:57,060 --> 00:55:00,000
where you see a P and where you see an S

673
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:01,640
is by special use permit.

674
00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:03,880
So I'm no zoning professional,

675
00:55:03,900 --> 00:55:06,920
but I do work with zoning collectively

676
00:55:06,920 --> 00:55:09,240
and collaboratively on a day-to-day basis.

677
00:55:09,560 --> 00:55:12,520
So if you give me a scenario, I can tell you.

678
00:55:12,920 --> 00:55:15,920
For example, a C2 zone, which is right next to the C3,

679
00:55:16,900 --> 00:55:20,100
what you're standing as far as karaoke and trivia

680
00:55:20,100 --> 00:55:21,440
would not be permitted.

681
00:55:21,860 --> 00:55:24,580
And that's not included as part of the amendment here.

682
00:55:25,340 --> 00:55:26,980
if that answers the question.

683
00:55:29,960 --> 00:55:32,860
And that would be because karaoke and trivia,

684
00:55:33,100 --> 00:55:34,560
you don't consider that to be entertainment?

685
00:55:35,220 --> 00:55:37,720
It's just not considered incidental entertainment.

686
00:55:38,140 --> 00:55:40,240
It's considered live entertainment.

687
00:55:42,320 --> 00:55:45,440
So an incidental would, even though the amendment is including

688
00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:48,180
the changes to be able to allow for it,

689
00:55:48,900 --> 00:55:50,380
it's not across every zone.

690
00:55:51,980 --> 00:55:55,320
So where it's not specified,

691
00:55:57,860 --> 00:56:02,280
It's incidental, so no application would need to be applied for with our office and where

692
00:56:02,280 --> 00:56:05,860
you see a P or an S, that's where it would come through our office.

693
00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:08,600
And it would require approval from the board.

694
00:56:10,380 --> 00:56:10,980
Thank you.

695
00:56:11,420 --> 00:56:11,860
Councilwoman?

696
00:56:13,540 --> 00:56:13,980
Yelsa?

697
00:56:15,220 --> 00:56:15,820
Thank you.

698
00:56:15,940 --> 00:56:21,900
If I could just, I would advocate, well, I guess I would have to research exactly where

699
00:56:21,900 --> 00:56:26,040
the areas in my particular neighborhood are respective with regards to the zoning but

700
00:56:26,040 --> 00:56:31,580
I would advocate that these would be considered incidental and these are just opportunities

701
00:56:31,580 --> 00:56:39,980
for businesses to be able to bring in more patrons and these are not things that, again,

702
00:56:41,580 --> 00:56:47,540
create loud diversions of noise where you would have local residential neighborhoods

703
00:56:47,540 --> 00:56:52,780
that are abutting being bothered by it.

704
00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:54,940
So that's my only feedback point.

705
00:56:55,260 --> 00:56:57,580
But thank you, I appreciate the understanding.

706
00:57:03,810 --> 00:57:04,790
Councilor Marroyas.

707
00:57:05,930 --> 00:57:06,670
Thank you, Chair.

708
00:57:07,810 --> 00:57:11,210
Mr. Azar, just in terms of the,

709
00:57:11,590 --> 00:57:15,730
I have one clarifying question and just a comment.

710
00:57:16,710 --> 00:57:19,230
The first question is regarding the outdoor

711
00:57:19,230 --> 00:57:22,770
more entertainment events.

712
00:57:24,810 --> 00:57:34,390
This amendment increases it, I think, from 3 to 9, and then each event

713
00:57:34,390 --> 00:57:36,650
lasting 3 days. Is that, am I right on that?

714
00:57:40,940 --> 00:57:46,960
Yeah, so 3 to 9 per year, and then each lasting 3 days.

715
00:57:46,960 --> 00:57:56,480
Yeah, the way this would be phrased if this passes is temporary entertainment events are

716
00:57:56,480 --> 00:58:03,780
limited to nine events per calendar year and a maximum duration of three days per event

717
00:58:04,180 --> 00:58:06,940
with a minimum of 30 days between events.

718
00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:17,620
So, did we think about, so could there be a scenario where, let's say there's five parcels

719
00:58:18,060 --> 00:58:26,680
or five businesses sort of in a row, and they all happen to have an event on the same like

720
00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:27,560
weekend.

721
00:58:28,580 --> 00:58:34,580
Is that like under this ordinance, is that a possible scenario?

722
00:58:37,220 --> 00:58:44,100
Yes, I think it would be because they're different, if they're all different businesses.

723
00:58:44,960 --> 00:58:48,140
Yeah, but they happen to be adjacent to one another.

724
00:58:49,220 --> 00:58:51,160
Yes, I think that's true.

725
00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:57,160
I guess just a comment after that is I'm concerned about sort of the event clustering

726
00:58:57,160 --> 00:59:06,170
and how that might affect residents nearby if it becomes like a pseudo entertainment district

727
00:59:08,010 --> 00:59:11,450
for multiple businesses lasting for three days.

728
00:59:12,450 --> 00:59:15,290
I think that's a lot on a neighborhood.

729
00:59:19,470 --> 00:59:21,370
Went out, okay, sorry about that.

730
00:59:21,910 --> 00:59:27,430
The other comment I had was in regard to,

731
00:59:30,450 --> 00:59:33,430
I voiced this to other colleagues today,

732
00:59:33,430 --> 00:59:44,790
but I would advocate for some type of spatial limitation clause for indoor events.

733
00:59:46,150 --> 00:59:53,590
I do support a level of dancing indoors. I don't want to be into fun police,

734
00:59:54,390 --> 00:59:59,750
but when I think about crafting legislation,

735
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:09,200
Think about the bad actors, and if incidental entertainment is sort of the, if the dining experience

736
01:00:09,200 --> 01:00:19,200
is still primary, and when it comes to incidental entertainment, the music is secondary. My biggest

737
01:00:19,200 --> 01:00:28,220
fear is that how I read it is under the current amendments, restaurants could essentially rearrange

738
01:00:28,220 --> 01:00:37,180
their physical layout and open the floor for just everyone dancing and I think it

739
01:00:37,180 --> 01:00:44,640
it can turn into sort of this like concert like setup so I would love to

740
01:00:44,640 --> 01:00:50,260
like regulate that further but in court still allow a dancing to some degree but

741
01:00:50,260 --> 01:00:55,780
not just allow the physical layout to turn into like a nightclub that's like

742
01:00:55,780 --> 01:00:56,880
the worst-case scenario?

743
01:01:03,920 --> 01:01:06,400
I certainly understand what you're talking about.

744
01:01:07,520 --> 01:01:10,460
Keep in mind that, again,

745
01:01:12,520 --> 01:01:12,840
they wouldn't

746
01:01:12,840 --> 01:01:13,980
be able to charge a cover.

747
01:01:14,280 --> 01:01:16,080
They wouldn't be able to have flashing lights.

748
01:01:16,740 --> 01:01:20,460
The volume would have to be relatively low.

749
01:01:20,980 --> 01:01:23,580
And it would have to have a curfew.

750
01:01:26,020 --> 01:01:31,240
What we commonly see with a lot of restaurants

751
01:01:31,240 --> 01:01:33,680
that become what you're talking about,

752
01:01:33,800 --> 01:01:36,560
and that's actually a fairly common experience,

753
01:01:36,880 --> 01:01:40,380
is that that tends to happen after dinner.

754
01:01:41,800 --> 01:01:44,720
Usually it starts at something like nine o'clock.

755
01:01:45,500 --> 01:01:50,500
But I'm not saying it couldn't happen,

756
01:01:51,260 --> 01:01:55,420
but I think it might be a little unlikely

757
01:01:55,420 --> 01:01:59,060
to maintain the true nature

758
01:01:59,060 --> 01:02:05,420
incidental entertainment at that point. Yeah, I mean I concede the point that it's

759
01:02:05,420 --> 01:02:12,320
probably unlikely but potentially possible. Can I just share one more?

760
01:02:13,620 --> 01:02:17,240
Councilman Royer, keep in mind that we have about 40 people that signed up to

761
01:02:17,240 --> 01:02:23,220
speak and we need to get to them. I'll stop my comments. Thank you.

762
01:02:23,220 --> 01:02:31,200
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Azar. And briefly, Mr. Joe Wilson from the Department of Arts and

763
01:02:31,200 --> 01:02:35,020
Culture who have something to add to this. And then we're going to go straight to the people.

764
01:02:36,420 --> 01:02:40,260
Okay. Mr. Barga, I will call upon you. Thank you.

765
01:02:41,980 --> 01:02:42,800
Good evening, Joe.

766
01:02:44,180 --> 01:02:51,220
Good evening, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. I am so honored to be with you here today in this beautiful chamber.

767
01:02:51,220 --> 01:02:56,640
as your director of the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism for the Great

768
01:02:56,640 --> 01:03:04,000
City of Providence. I am here on behalf of the administration. I am here on behalf

769
01:03:04,000 --> 01:03:10,060
of my great department and I'm also here on behalf of our Life at Night task force

770
01:03:10,060 --> 01:03:17,810
that consists of artists, creatives, business owners, producers, members of

771
01:03:17,810 --> 01:03:20,850
tourism sector, and our city staff members.

772
01:03:21,930 --> 01:03:27,290
And many of our task force members are here tonight, and if you are, could you please raise

773
01:03:27,290 --> 01:03:29,170
your hand and let yourself be noticed.

774
01:03:31,050 --> 01:03:37,810
As you know, Providence's food, beverage, music, and hospitality scenes have evolved

775
01:03:37,810 --> 01:03:44,950
dramatically, and our city has become one of the most dynamic and vibrant communities

776
01:03:44,950 --> 01:03:53,590
in this country. This has led to the fact that our laws have not kept in track or

777
01:03:54,210 --> 01:03:59,390
kept up pace, which has unfortunately led to confusion for business owners and

778
01:04:00,210 --> 01:04:06,550
indeed frustration for residents. For example, under our current regulations a

779
01:04:06,550 --> 01:04:14,930
restaurant can be penalized for hosting a Sunday morning jazz brunch and after

780
01:04:14,930 --> 01:04:21,810
two mimosas and a short stack of pancakes, if you are feeling the music, you can get

781
01:04:21,810 --> 01:04:28,350
up and shake your hips. The proposed updates bring our zoning and entertainment laws in

782
01:04:28,350 --> 01:04:34,910
line with how entertainment actually works in Providence, ensuring transparent and fair

783
01:04:34,910 --> 01:04:43,190
rules for everybody, for businesses, residents, and the city itself. These amendments clarify

784
01:04:43,190 --> 01:04:48,990
and expand the definition of incidental entertainment.

785
01:04:49,890 --> 01:04:54,930
Lifting outdated restrictions on dancing, amplified music,

786
01:04:55,610 --> 01:04:58,630
and the number of performers. What does that mean?

787
01:04:59,890 --> 01:05:06,810
Incidental entertainment refers to music or performance that isn't the main event.

788
01:05:07,550 --> 01:05:11,290
What does that mean? That means we are not selling tickets.

789
01:05:11,290 --> 01:05:17,730
That means there is no cover charge being collected. That means there are no promoters.

790
01:05:18,450 --> 01:05:22,630
Y'all, this is about ambiance. This is not about headline acts.

791
01:05:23,730 --> 01:05:31,750
The changes in the definition of incidental entertainment put these everyday activities into compliance

792
01:05:32,290 --> 01:05:39,550
and create a straightforward way to manage them with firm end times for indoor music.

793
01:05:39,550 --> 01:05:46,590
9 p.m. on weekends 11 p.m. on 9 p.m. on weeknights 11 p.m. on weekends and

794
01:05:47,110 --> 01:05:52,510
outdoor music music is off by 9 p.m. every night and please remember these

795
01:05:52,510 --> 01:05:57,670
times apply just to our new and expanded definition of incidental

796
01:05:57,670 --> 01:06:02,330
entertainment these updates add structure they add clarity they add

797
01:06:02,330 --> 01:06:06,750
predictability for everybody supporting our local artists and

798
01:06:06,750 --> 01:06:14,090
establishments while maintaining a calm and quiet community at a reasonable

799
01:06:14,090 --> 01:06:22,550
hour. Let's not forget all of this city's noise ordinance will remain in full

800
01:06:22,550 --> 01:06:28,170
effect. Music must not be heard beyond the walls of an establishment or at

801
01:06:28,170 --> 01:06:34,130
excessive levels. Accountability in the city of Providence still exists with

802
01:06:34,130 --> 01:06:41,130
clear penalties and violations. Now what else does this ordinance clean up do? It introduces

803
01:06:41,130 --> 01:06:48,130
a clear process for temporary entertainment events. Now when we say temporary entertainment

804
01:06:48,130 --> 01:06:57,630
events we mean musical acts. In my world we mean plays. We mean DJs, comedy, and events

805
01:06:57,630 --> 01:07:01,030
that are indeed charging a cover charge.

806
01:07:01,970 --> 01:07:07,930
Events such as these will require a temporary entertainment license from the board of licenses

807
01:07:08,610 --> 01:07:13,810
rather than a temporary use permit from the Department of Inspections and Standards.

808
01:07:14,710 --> 01:07:20,970
This makes this process more transparent and this makes this process more consistent.

809
01:07:20,970 --> 01:07:28,530
And, again, each license holder is limited to nine temporary events per year, with a 30-day

810
01:07:28,530 --> 01:07:35,750
buffer between each event ensuring opportunities for artists and businesses while maintaining

811
01:07:35,750 --> 01:07:36,990
neighborhood quality of life.

812
01:07:38,050 --> 01:07:38,870
We all know this.

813
01:07:39,010 --> 01:07:44,830
Providence is home to some of the most incredible local talent—musicians, cultural stewards,

814
01:07:44,830 --> 01:07:50,550
and artists who make our city known far and wide beyond the boundaries of this

815
01:07:50,550 --> 01:07:57,250
state. These updates provide artists, restaurants, and residents with a stable

816
01:07:57,250 --> 01:08:02,090
and reasonable framework to rely upon while keeping, and I say this again,

817
01:08:02,670 --> 01:08:08,010
while keeping noise protections in place. The changes help level the

818
01:08:08,010 --> 01:08:12,590
playing field for smaller venues, streamline the application process,

819
01:08:12,590 --> 01:08:17,410
and these changes will support a vibrant, diverse art scene.

820
01:08:18,370 --> 01:08:20,030
And further, this is why this is so important.

821
01:08:20,970 --> 01:08:25,030
What we know as a result of my department's life at night

822
01:08:25,030 --> 01:08:27,990
in the Creative Capital Economic Impact Assessment

823
01:08:27,990 --> 01:08:33,930
is that this sector that operates between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m.

824
01:08:34,470 --> 01:08:39,570
is a $990 million sector.

825
01:08:39,570 --> 01:08:46,010
sector. The businesses and the gig economy workers, many of whom are artists within this

826
01:08:46,010 --> 01:08:52,150
sector, should be supported and celebrated, not vilified and stigmatized.

827
01:08:52,930 --> 01:08:59,770
What we know as expressed in our city's second 10-year cultural plan is that our arts and

828
01:08:59,770 --> 01:09:06,560
cultural stakeholders have asked us to increase investment in our creative workforce, to

829
01:09:06,560 --> 01:09:12,900
to foster opportunities for our creative economy to thrive and to be an advocate and raise public

830
01:09:12,900 --> 01:09:18,320
awareness as it relates to the importance of art and culture in this city and state's

831
01:09:18,320 --> 01:09:19,140
economic future.

832
01:09:19,660 --> 01:09:24,320
And I have to say it again, the businesses and artists in this city who continue to

833
01:09:24,320 --> 01:09:30,580
rebuild post-COVID that will directly benefit from these amendments are central and essential

834
01:09:30,580 --> 01:09:32,840
to this city's economic well-being.

835
01:09:32,840 --> 01:09:40,220
And as we all work every single day to ensure that Providence is indeed the best-run city

836
01:09:40,220 --> 01:09:46,900
in America, and this includes removing barriers to individuals and businesses on their quest

837
01:09:46,900 --> 01:09:54,040
not to just survive, but we owe it to them to create policy that allows them to thrive

838
01:09:54,360 --> 01:09:55,560
in this great city.

839
01:09:56,400 --> 01:09:58,800
These amendments are a balance to solution.

840
01:09:58,800 --> 01:10:04,800
They support Providence's creative economy, provide more access to live music, and create

841
01:10:04,800 --> 01:10:10,860
opportunities for us to connect with one another, while respecting residents living alongside

842
01:10:11,180 --> 01:10:12,600
these commercial corridors.

843
01:10:14,040 --> 01:10:15,800
I must say it loud and say it proud.

844
01:10:16,220 --> 01:10:19,600
We are indeed the creative capital.

845
01:10:20,520 --> 01:10:26,140
Our hospitality and nightlife sector and our creatives should have a chance to flourish

846
01:10:26,140 --> 01:10:30,920
by giving businesses the necessary tools they need to succeed.

847
01:10:31,940 --> 01:10:36,300
And I am confident that these amendments to the entertainment ordinance

848
01:10:36,300 --> 01:10:40,800
will support performing artists and enhance the quality of life

849
01:10:40,800 --> 01:10:44,620
for everybody in this beloved capital city.

850
01:10:45,560 --> 01:10:46,560
God bless Providence.

851
01:11:02,720 --> 01:11:05,360
That was very passionate. Thank you, Joe.

852
01:11:05,360 --> 01:11:12,000
Hello. City Sergeant, can I get the list of everyone that has signed up to speak on item

853
01:11:12,000 --> 01:11:15,780
number one? Pretending to entertainment.

854
01:11:19,180 --> 01:11:24,180
I have Councilman Vargas as we wait for this.

855
01:11:24,380 --> 01:11:26,400
Got a question for ASR.

856
01:11:28,600 --> 01:11:30,700
Mr. Bob Asa, will you entertain a question

857
01:11:30,700 --> 01:11:35,020
for Mr. Councilman Vargas? Come up quickly, please.

858
01:11:35,020 --> 01:11:38,500
Thank you you

859
01:11:40,870 --> 01:11:44,390
were saying that there's no there's no way I can follow that I'm sorry

860
01:11:45,830 --> 01:11:54,100
there's no one expected to it we say there's no cell recharge those the

861
01:11:54,100 --> 01:11:57,340
musician can have a basket for tips you

862
01:11:59,870 --> 01:12:03,630
know these are the kinds of questions

863
01:12:03,630 --> 01:12:11,130
that that we always ponder when we're going through writing ordinances like

864
01:12:11,130 --> 01:12:13,070
this, there's a lot of nuance.

865
01:12:15,390 --> 01:12:18,350
You know, if someone puts out a hat,

866
01:12:20,890 --> 01:12:22,190
I don't know that

867
01:12:22,790 --> 01:12:30,830
they would get a zoning violation. The ordinance says no cover charge. To me, that means someone

868
01:12:30,830 --> 01:12:41,450
standing at the door, who is charging people to walk into the building, you know, if someone

869
01:12:41,450 --> 01:12:47,250
puts out a hat, I would consider that to be more like the way you might tip a server.

870
01:12:49,210 --> 01:12:55,170
So I'm not the zoning enforcement officer, but in my opinion that would not rise to

871
01:12:55,170 --> 01:12:56,650
the level of cover charge.

872
01:12:57,430 --> 01:12:58,170
Thank you.

873
01:12:58,570 --> 01:12:58,990
You're welcome.

874
01:12:58,990 --> 01:13:01,900
Thank you Ms. Day.

875
01:13:12,780 --> 01:13:22,200
So we have close to 100 people that signed up. Maybe some of the people

876
01:13:22,200 --> 01:13:29,780
that signed up already left, but that's what we have. If we do two minutes each, we could

877
01:13:29,780 --> 01:13:33,360
be here for over two hours. So can we please keep it to one minute?

878
01:13:37,490 --> 01:13:39,370
I don't have a problem

879
01:13:39,370 --> 01:13:43,750
staying here till tomorrow. So I just made an offer, so come up, but I will not give

880
01:13:43,750 --> 01:13:48,850
you any more in two minutes. So that's cool. The first person up is Chris Spatini. Chris,

881
01:13:56,530 --> 01:14:04,110
good evening. I'm the owner-operator of Maria's Cucina on Broadway in Providence. I am definitely

882
01:14:04,110 --> 01:14:10,850
for our outside entertainment for many reasons. We are the ocean state and unfortunately in

883
01:14:10,850 --> 01:14:15,330
the summertime we all tend to go to the beach. No one wants to stay in Providence

884
01:14:15,330 --> 01:14:20,930
restaurants and have dinner and when they can be down in Narragansett at the Coast Guard

885
01:14:20,930 --> 01:14:25,390
House or some of the other beautiful restaurants. I'm a small business. It's very difficult

886
01:14:25,390 --> 01:14:31,870
for me to do business from June to mid-September, the end of September. This outside entertainment

887
01:14:31,870 --> 01:14:37,090
certainly helps. It's a draw for people to come to the restaurant, enjoy the outside.

888
01:14:38,250 --> 01:14:44,790
I rent from the Italian American Club. Several years ago during COVID they took out the

889
01:14:44,790 --> 01:14:50,330
grass in front of the building and they were they put in a beautiful patio so we

890
01:14:50,330 --> 01:14:54,570
have a porch and patio we had entertainment for a short period of time

891
01:14:54,570 --> 01:14:59,450
outside it was taken away and while we had it it helped business

892
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:09,300
Which also helps my employees. I have anywhere from 15 to 20 employees that rely on our business.

893
01:15:09,760 --> 01:15:15,460
For them, some of them, most of them are married with children. It takes away from them when we don't

894
01:15:15,460 --> 01:15:21,700
do business as well selfishly as it takes away from myself. So I am certainly for this outside

895
01:15:21,700 --> 01:15:28,400
entertainment within the guidelines that the council puts in front of us. I have no problem

896
01:15:28,400 --> 01:15:33,280
following all the directives. It just really helps business not only for myself

897
01:15:33,280 --> 01:15:37,160
but for all the other restaurants in the city of Providence that fall into the

898
01:15:37,160 --> 01:15:42,180
same category as myself. So thank you very much for your time. We look forward

899
01:15:42,180 --> 01:15:44,340
to outside entertainment. Thank you Chris.

900
01:15:55,200 --> 01:15:57,500
The next person that I have I can't

901
01:15:57,500 --> 01:16:05,760
really make up the name but it is George LAZZ from 477 Broadway.

902
01:16:08,530 --> 01:16:08,910
Good evening

903
01:16:08,910 --> 01:16:10,530
Good evening, Council Speaker. Good evening, Judge.

904
01:16:11,290 --> 01:16:12,910
How are you? Good, thank you.

905
01:16:13,130 --> 01:16:19,370
Being the Superintendent of Police and Fire for Maintenance Division in Providence for 35 years, I'm still currently employed.

906
01:16:20,010 --> 01:16:24,830
I'm also the President of the Hitler American Club 477 Broadway.

907
01:16:25,670 --> 01:16:30,570
I know a lot of you have visited there. It's a very beautiful Victorian house.

908
01:16:30,570 --> 01:16:37,530
it's labeled significant other because the owners built the outlet downtown so it

909
01:16:37,530 --> 01:16:45,230
carries a lot of and it's a more of an upscale restaurant and we had put out a

910
01:16:45,230 --> 01:16:49,250
beautiful patio so we're not even on the sidewalk which is huge the patio is

911
01:16:49,250 --> 01:17:00,070
huge itself and we have we occupied a club we rent to Maria Cachinas but we do

912
01:17:00,070 --> 01:17:06,730
open that in the summer. We had Frank Sinatra, singer Neil Diamond. There's no

913
01:17:06,730 --> 01:17:10,830
rock band. That restaurant doesn't warrant that. They're not going to go and sit

914
01:17:10,830 --> 01:17:17,070
their way. And he had one speaker singing into the building, in towards the

915
01:17:17,070 --> 01:17:22,890
wraparound porch. And it was beautiful. I don't think there was anybody under 40.

916
01:17:23,090 --> 01:17:27,370
I don't believe. And they were eating as well as dining. They're not going to be

917
01:17:27,370 --> 01:17:35,070
screaming music like that and the key here I think the key is noise on this so

918
01:17:35,070 --> 01:17:38,530
if somebody has an issue you're gonna call the police they're gonna come and

919
01:17:38,530 --> 01:17:45,110
say the noise on this is too high you gotta shut it down I think that not

920
01:17:45,110 --> 01:17:51,170
given the affordable right for all for all I mean it's six to nine we're not

921
01:17:51,170 --> 01:17:53,990
playing Metallica I don't think anybody else is gonna do that you

922
01:17:53,990 --> 01:17:55,170
You wouldn't go there for that.

923
01:17:55,410 --> 01:18:00,810
You wouldn't, you know, but I'm also a five-time world powerlifting champion, I've been all

924
01:18:00,810 --> 01:18:01,370
over the world.

925
01:18:02,050 --> 01:18:03,750
And New Orleans is known for what?

926
01:18:04,210 --> 01:18:07,570
The music, they're, they play jazz outside.

927
01:18:08,450 --> 01:18:09,450
There are people that live there.

928
01:18:09,610 --> 01:18:12,150
It's not like it's not in a neighborhood, there are people that live there.

929
01:18:12,210 --> 01:18:17,530
Now I get, being a resident next door to that, you don't want blasting music, but

930
01:18:17,530 --> 01:18:22,230
if it's a beautiful restaurant, if it's a beautiful place and people are just coming,

931
01:18:23,110 --> 01:18:28,990
We get all the people from PC, the parents, Brown University, when they have the NCA titles

932
01:18:28,990 --> 01:18:32,110
out on their PC, they all frequent that club.

933
01:18:32,770 --> 01:18:37,370
And we also, our Reach Out program, we were number one for Toys for Tots.

934
01:18:38,150 --> 01:18:43,290
We are not only an It Low American Club, we are all non-denominational.

935
01:18:43,910 --> 01:18:48,950
I've been the longest running term president, and we've been founded since 1896, where

936
01:18:48,950 --> 01:18:56,870
the oldest founded Hitler American club in the country. So we don't want problems, we

937
01:18:56,870 --> 01:19:04,430
just want, that means so much to the restaurant to see the people on Broadway come there and

938
01:19:04,430 --> 01:19:13,710
sit and listen to a little soft music. Like I said, the key here is what you said, a noise

939
01:19:13,710 --> 01:19:22,050
on this like that's the that's the whole cake noise on this and so I think put

940
01:19:22,050 --> 01:19:28,530
restrictions in there and let at least try it and like this gentleman said here

941
01:19:28,530 --> 01:19:33,410
and I agree with him the director here that that's what provinces about and I've

942
01:19:33,410 --> 01:19:38,450
been here 35 years and I can tell you used to just have entertainment on that

943
01:19:38,450 --> 01:19:41,370
was avenue there was an even really I was born and raised it it wasn't no

944
01:19:41,370 --> 01:19:48,190
entertainment there. When they started bringing that in, that got busy up there, you know,

945
01:19:48,330 --> 01:19:55,150
and of course you have to regulate everything, you know, and so I'm in support of it, you

946
01:19:55,150 --> 01:20:02,290
know, and I think that it's good for the city, I think it's good for, and like this

947
01:20:02,290 --> 01:20:06,670
gentleman said, putting us on the map. That's what we're, well, our culture here is music

948
01:20:06,670 --> 01:20:12,510
and love and families and and friends. I mean I get that you don't want to

949
01:20:12,510 --> 01:20:16,030
disco place if it's right next to your house. I understand that. I wouldn't want

950
01:20:16,030 --> 01:20:22,870
it either. But six to nine you know and Frank Sinatra I mean I don't know but

951
01:20:23,350 --> 01:20:28,150
me out for a sleep more than I would dance but that's all I have to say so

952
01:20:28,150 --> 01:20:28,730
Thank you, George.

953
01:20:29,250 --> 01:20:29,950
Thank you.

954
01:20:29,950 --> 01:20:29,970
Thank you.

955
01:20:32,250 --> 01:20:33,450
Robert Velucci.

956
01:20:41,840 --> 01:20:42,320
Good evening.

957
01:20:43,000 --> 01:20:43,500
Good evening.

958
01:20:44,040 --> 01:20:47,340
I'm Robert Velucci, the Treasurer of the Low American Club.

959
01:20:47,920 --> 01:20:53,040
I will be very brief because I think George and Chris said it all.

960
01:20:53,680 --> 01:20:57,660
We are in support of the outdoor entertainment.

961
01:20:58,320 --> 01:21:04,740
I think it's very important for the restaurant establishments to keep the employees

962
01:21:04,740 --> 01:21:11,640
engaged during the summer so they have working opportunities. We are all in

963
01:21:11,640 --> 01:21:16,860
favor of what's being proposed to the City Council with respect to the

964
01:21:16,860 --> 01:21:26,700
time times and the entertainment being very you know low-key if you will. So

965
01:21:26,700 --> 01:21:32,640
thank you very much and thank you. Thank you for the testimony. Linda

966
01:21:32,640 --> 01:21:33,000
Linda Perry.

967
01:21:41,480 --> 01:21:47,680
Good evening Linda. Hello, thank you. My name is Linda Perry and I live in

968
01:21:47,680 --> 01:21:56,420
Washington Park. Forty-year resident of Washington Park and I have been pretty much terrorized

969
01:21:56,990 --> 01:22:05,980
by the noise on Broad Street. Sorry to say for the people here that are going to testify

970
01:22:05,980 --> 01:22:13,920
by in favor, not all zoning laws, our good zoning laws,

971
01:22:14,720 --> 01:22:23,300
not there isn't one size fits all for laws as we know

972
01:22:23,950 --> 01:22:26,880
because what the gentleman just said,

973
01:22:27,160 --> 01:22:29,040
he wants to listen to Frank Sinatra,

974
01:22:29,300 --> 01:22:34,140
other people want other things that we are affected by,

975
01:22:34,140 --> 01:22:43,680
adversely affected by. So without going into detail you all know what goes on in

976
01:22:43,680 --> 01:22:50,720
other neighborhoods. Not everybody follows the rules so I say we cannot do this

977
01:22:50,720 --> 01:22:58,820
right now because you can't say you can do it and you can't. You have been a

978
01:22:58,820 --> 01:23:00,080
player, and you have not.

979
01:23:02,490 --> 01:23:08,870
So, like I said, not all people follow the rules. And if we

980
01:23:08,870 --> 01:23:15,470
are the watchdogs, which this Ordinance Committee is, and this Council is, then we have to

981
01:23:16,610 --> 01:23:24,430
preserve the constituents' right to their health, safety, and welfare of their domain.

982
01:23:26,570 --> 01:23:31,990
And the radius for noise goes far.

983
01:23:32,950 --> 01:23:41,450
And I feel for the people who live in a three-family house next to an establishment that can't sleep at night.

984
01:23:41,930 --> 01:23:50,810
I've been to the license board many times over 10 years, and we have fought and fought and fought.

985
01:23:50,810 --> 01:23:57,330
I've been to the zoning board and fought and fought and fought, not all ideas are good

986
01:23:57,330 --> 01:24:01,130
ideas and I think this falls right smack in the middle.

987
01:24:03,080 --> 01:24:03,560
Sorry.

988
01:24:03,960 --> 01:24:04,540
Thank you, Linda.

989
01:24:07,700 --> 01:24:08,980
Cynthia Pagliano.

990
01:24:10,820 --> 01:24:11,460
Cynthia.

991
01:24:19,760 --> 01:24:20,600
Please bear with me.

992
01:24:20,600 --> 01:24:20,940
Good evening.

993
01:24:21,300 --> 01:24:21,580
Hello.

994
01:24:22,340 --> 01:24:23,860
My name is Cynthia Pagliano.

995
01:24:23,860 --> 01:24:32,080
My husband, Mike, and I live at 466 Broadway, and we also own 478 Broadway next door.

996
01:24:32,860 --> 01:24:38,460
The ordinance that you are proposing is troubling because we've had noise problems in the past.

997
01:24:39,340 --> 01:24:45,680
When I moved here in 2007, the area was drug-infested, loud, and dirty.

998
01:24:46,260 --> 01:24:52,040
Mike and I, along with a few of our neighbors, put money into improving our properties.

999
01:24:52,040 --> 01:24:57,940
And the next thing we knew, the back street we had so much trouble with, began to improve

1000
01:24:57,940 --> 01:25:00,880
and the neighborhood is what it is today.

1001
01:25:01,960 --> 01:25:08,700
Our next hurdle a few years later came when Maria Cachina's restaurant moved across the

1002
01:25:08,700 --> 01:25:10,620
street to the Ethel American Club.

1003
01:25:11,240 --> 01:25:15,540
They wanted a disco outside three nights a week.

1004
01:25:16,060 --> 01:25:18,740
It was so loud we could hear it in our house.

1005
01:25:18,740 --> 01:25:26,060
It was completely disrupting, and it would go sometimes past nine o'clock, but the noise

1006
01:25:26,060 --> 01:25:27,320
was what got us.

1007
01:25:27,800 --> 01:25:34,240
It took us four years, a lot of challenging work, not only from us, but from our neighbors,

1008
01:25:35,000 --> 01:25:41,220
the licensing board that explained all the laws to us and our elected officials to get

1009
01:25:41,220 --> 01:25:43,280
the loud music stopped.

1010
01:25:44,100 --> 01:25:51,160
This is our Broadway story, and from what I hear, our play is common to many other Providence

1011
01:25:51,160 --> 01:25:51,840
neighborhoods.

1012
01:25:52,780 --> 01:25:56,780
So you might say, if you have a problem, call the police.

1013
01:25:57,300 --> 01:26:01,560
And I agree with you, but our police are not the noise police.

1014
01:26:02,140 --> 01:26:07,360
The licensing board has three offices to enforce the code.

1015
01:26:07,360 --> 01:26:14,800
will three officers be able to manage the complaints if this new ordinance passes?

1016
01:26:16,000 --> 01:26:18,900
We've worked hard to preserve our neighborhood.

1017
01:26:19,620 --> 01:26:24,980
It's one of the many charms that makes Providence a city for families to live in

1018
01:26:24,980 --> 01:26:28,120
and for people from other states to explore.

1019
01:26:29,200 --> 01:26:35,500
If this ordinance passes, yes, it will increase revenue, but at what cost?

1020
01:26:35,500 --> 01:26:44,940
us. We pay huge property taxes for the privilege of living here. We are not absentee landlords.

1021
01:26:45,340 --> 01:26:54,820
We believe in and love this city. Help us keep the tranquility and the charm that we

1022
01:26:54,820 --> 01:27:03,400
work so hard to create. Please do your part by voting against this ordinance. The future

1023
01:27:03,400 --> 01:27:07,100
future of our city, our future is in your hands.

1024
01:27:08,140 --> 01:27:08,620
Thank you.

1025
01:27:08,840 --> 01:27:09,860
And that's all I have to say.

1026
01:27:10,060 --> 01:27:10,460
Thank you.

1027
01:27:14,890 --> 01:27:15,770
Dylan Peacock.

1028
01:27:28,280 --> 01:27:28,680
Good evening.

1029
01:27:29,200 --> 01:27:29,540
Good evening.

1030
01:27:29,700 --> 01:27:30,080
Hi, Councillors.

1031
01:27:30,620 --> 01:27:31,540
My name is Dylan Peacock.

1032
01:27:32,560 --> 01:27:37,120
I live in Elmwood directly behind Monte Cristo, a business that operated for years as

1033
01:27:37,120 --> 01:27:37,940
an illegal nightclub.

1034
01:27:38,420 --> 01:27:44,060
For more than a decade, my family and tenants endured pounding bass, shaking our

1035
01:27:44,060 --> 01:27:45,760
walls, often until 2 a.m.

1036
01:27:45,760 --> 01:27:53,320
It took 10 years, over 100 police calls, dozens of licensing hearings, and four license revocations

1037
01:27:53,320 --> 01:27:55,220
to restore peace to our home.

1038
01:27:55,600 --> 01:28:00,800
My experience is a case study and enforcement failure, and that's why I oppose these changes

1039
01:28:00,800 --> 01:28:01,400
as written.

1040
01:28:02,040 --> 01:28:07,040
This proposal grants sweeping new entertainment privileges without adding necessary safeguards

1041
01:28:07,040 --> 01:28:07,900
for residents.

1042
01:28:08,340 --> 01:28:12,280
It makes entertainment the norm, not the exception, in a city where enforcement

1043
01:28:12,280 --> 01:28:20,040
already broken. In 2022, residents made 5,500 noise complaints, yet only 19 citations were

1044
01:28:20,040 --> 01:28:26,080
issued. Expanding buy-right entertainment with accountability doubles down on that failure.

1045
01:28:26,540 --> 01:28:30,900
I've seen how the system fails in real time. You complain to officials that they say call

1046
01:28:30,900 --> 01:28:35,720
the police. You call the police, they say talk to your counselor. When you call the

1047
01:28:35,720 --> 01:28:39,840
police, you wait an hour. By the time they arrive, the business might have closed.

1048
01:28:39,840 --> 01:28:46,480
Our experience with outdoor dining proved enforcement is non-existent. In August and September 2020

1049
01:28:46,480 --> 01:28:52,580
we documented violations on 40 nights and called police 26 times.

1050
01:28:52,800 --> 01:28:57,800
There were no fines, no board action, no relief, and this is what we endured.

1051
01:29:02,400 --> 01:29:03,440
Are you playing the song?

1052
01:29:04,620 --> 01:29:05,260
Please

1053
01:29:32,110 --> 01:29:35,490
stop because of the zoning issue with parking, not because of this noise.

1054
01:29:36,210 --> 01:29:39,530
Enforcement of indoor incidental entertainment was just as bad.

1055
01:29:40,030 --> 01:29:42,670
The night after night, pounding base went on check for a decade.

1056
01:29:43,090 --> 01:29:48,010
Hundreds of violations a year, at least 75 police calls between 2017 and 2020,

1057
01:29:48,370 --> 01:29:51,850
and not a single fine citation or consequence.

1058
01:29:52,250 --> 01:29:55,190
Reports were rarely forwarded to licensing, and when they were,

1059
01:29:55,270 --> 01:29:58,550
they were incomplete or lacked sufficient detail for the board to act.

1060
01:29:58,970 --> 01:29:59,750
Officers routinely...

1061
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:03,920
Many lacked training and consistency. Even when they stood beside us and heard the noise,

1062
01:30:04,200 --> 01:30:07,880
it wasn't written up. Many didn't know the law, assume that business had an entertainment

1063
01:30:07,880 --> 01:30:12,140
license, or didn't understand that reports must be properly documented for the board

1064
01:30:12,140 --> 01:30:16,120
to act. Some didn't treat chronic noise as an issue at all. And I'm going to wrap

1065
01:30:16,120 --> 01:30:19,820
it up very shortly. Entertainment failures don't stop with police, they're systemic.

1066
01:30:20,220 --> 01:30:24,840
The board of licenses quasi-judicial process favors businesses with legal representation,

1067
01:30:25,180 --> 01:30:29,900
and the evidentiary threshold makes enforcement nearly impossible. Even with police laws

1068
01:30:29,900 --> 01:30:33,700
video evidence and testimony, it took eight years to even begin to see action.

1069
01:30:34,180 --> 01:30:38,060
Hearing states' monks to schedule are repeatedly continued and force residents

1070
01:30:38,060 --> 01:30:41,660
to miswork again and again just to be heard. And even when the board finally

1071
01:30:41,660 --> 01:30:45,860
acts, DBR routinely overturns their decisions three times in my case.

1072
01:30:46,220 --> 01:30:50,480
Expanding privileges without enforcement is reckless. You can only achieve your

1073
01:30:50,480 --> 01:30:54,140
goals responsibly by pairing new privileges with equally strong

1074
01:30:54,140 --> 01:30:57,540
accountability to residents. We deserve a transparent process that

1075
01:30:57,540 --> 01:31:01,480
Fios lived experience as much as lobbying by business interests, and the council has

1076
01:31:01,480 --> 01:31:05,260
a duty to ask, how could this harm my constituents and to work with residents?

1077
01:31:05,760 --> 01:31:09,820
To close up, please convene a working group of residents that have been affected by noise

1078
01:31:09,820 --> 01:31:14,840
and responsible restaurant owners to identify enforcement gaps and design a framework that

1079
01:31:14,840 --> 01:31:19,800
straightens both community protections and cultural vitality without stripping away

1080
01:31:19,800 --> 01:31:21,280
oversight or accountability.

1081
01:31:21,440 --> 01:31:23,380
You need to preserve the city's enforcement authority.

1082
01:31:23,600 --> 01:31:23,940
Thank you.

1083
01:31:23,940 --> 01:31:28,260
And also I just have some proposed changes to Azra N.

1084
01:31:28,960 --> 01:31:29,400
Thank you.

1085
01:31:29,800 --> 01:31:30,160
Bring them up.

1086
01:31:34,370 --> 01:31:34,690
Thank you.

1087
01:31:38,580 --> 01:31:39,860
Miran Kisi,

1088
01:31:55,780 --> 01:31:56,200
good evening.

1089
01:31:57,120 --> 01:31:57,460
Good evening.

1090
01:31:57,960 --> 01:32:00,160
My name is Miki Kitsch and I live in Ward 9.

1091
01:32:00,800 --> 01:32:03,760
Our current system encourages impunity and not compliance.

1092
01:32:04,280 --> 01:32:05,840
And this ordinance would make that worse.

1093
01:32:06,380 --> 01:32:09,100
Fewer defenses for neighbors, less public oversight,

1094
01:32:09,480 --> 01:32:11,420
shifting enforcement burdens onto residents

1095
01:32:11,420 --> 01:32:13,540
and more uncontrolled noise pollution.

1096
01:32:13,540 --> 01:32:18,200
Residents have begged for enforcement reform for years and gotten nowhere.

1097
01:32:18,620 --> 01:32:25,940
Yet when restaurant lobbyists ask for deregulation, the law is promptly rewritten in their favor.

1098
01:32:26,400 --> 01:32:28,760
That isn't economic development. It's a giveaway.

1099
01:32:29,320 --> 01:32:31,880
There's no evidence Providence is at a competitive disadvantage.

1100
01:32:32,600 --> 01:32:37,420
Boston, for example, categorically prohibits incidental music with outdoor dining.

1101
01:32:37,920 --> 01:32:39,200
The issue isn't live music.

1102
01:32:39,200 --> 01:32:43,640
It's the city's failure to build a system that protects residents while allowing it

1103
01:32:43,640 --> 01:32:44,500
responsibly.

1104
01:32:45,380 --> 01:32:48,980
This proposal expands privilege while stripping oversight.

1105
01:32:49,700 --> 01:32:54,240
Other cities support the arts and protect residents through case-by-case review, clear

1106
01:32:55,100 --> 01:33:00,340
guardrails, and credible enforcement to keep neighborhoods livable, the basic ingredients

1107
01:33:00,340 --> 01:33:01,680
of any livable city.

1108
01:33:02,160 --> 01:33:06,620
Until enforcement is fixed, this isn't support for restaurants or the arts.

1109
01:33:06,620 --> 01:33:09,260
its deregulation without accountability.

1110
01:33:10,520 --> 01:33:13,140
Cities like LA and Toronto get this right.

1111
01:33:13,640 --> 01:33:16,700
They strengthened enforcement and maintain conditional reviews

1112
01:33:16,700 --> 01:33:18,660
before expanding entertainment rights.

1113
01:33:19,020 --> 01:33:21,320
They achieved balance, protecting residents,

1114
01:33:21,660 --> 01:33:24,380
supporting artists, and holding businesses accountable.

1115
01:33:25,500 --> 01:33:27,560
Providence skips these steps entirely.

1116
01:33:27,900 --> 01:33:31,620
No guardrails, no input, and no enforcement capacity.

1117
01:33:32,720 --> 01:33:34,560
It's an abdication of responsibility.

1118
01:33:34,560 --> 01:33:36,640
And the impact won't fall evenly.

1119
01:33:37,280 --> 01:33:42,860
C2 corridors run through Elmwood and other minority working class neighborhoods, placing

1120
01:33:42,860 --> 01:33:45,420
restaurants and bars directly besides home.

1121
01:33:46,020 --> 01:33:51,080
Wealthier white areas shielded by zoning that limits commercial activity will remain undisturbed.

1122
01:33:51,380 --> 01:33:56,600
Loosening these roles, magnifies inequality, stripping away protections from communities

1123
01:33:56,600 --> 01:34:00,240
already overexposed to noise and underprotected by enforcement.

1124
01:34:00,700 --> 01:34:01,960
This is an equity issue.

1125
01:34:01,960 --> 01:34:07,060
Providence cannot claim to support both residents and businesses while expanding

1126
01:34:07,060 --> 01:34:11,420
entertainment by right in a system where enforcement has collapsed. If police

1127
01:34:11,420 --> 01:34:15,200
can't control noise and the Board of Licenses can't provide timely relief

1128
01:34:15,200 --> 01:34:19,040
without placing an unreasonable burden on residents, the city isn't regulating

1129
01:34:19,040 --> 01:34:24,200
or balancing. It's walking away. Protecting residents from persistent

1130
01:34:24,200 --> 01:34:27,700
noise isn't anti-business. It's the foundation of a livable city.

1131
01:34:31,460 --> 01:34:31,900
True

1132
01:34:31,900 --> 01:34:35,160
protecting residents, supporting artists, and holding businesses accountable.

1133
01:34:35,860 --> 01:34:39,540
Start with enforcement that works, an oversight that fits the site.

1134
01:34:39,900 --> 01:34:42,720
Pair any new privileges with stronger accountability.

1135
01:34:43,340 --> 01:34:46,880
Until then, reject the ordinance and do the basic work first.

1136
01:34:47,560 --> 01:34:52,260
Fix enforcement, restore public trust, and then build a framework where arts and restaurants

1137
01:34:52,260 --> 01:34:55,620
thrive without sacrificing the people who live beside them.

1138
01:34:56,000 --> 01:34:56,420
Thank you.

1139
01:34:57,760 --> 01:34:58,620
Thank you.

1140
01:35:00,960 --> 01:35:01,960
Paula Donovan.

1141
01:35:19,930 --> 01:35:20,170
Hi.

1142
01:35:20,170 --> 01:35:26,050
thank you for the opportunity to speak. I also am a resident of war nine and I've

1143
01:35:26,050 --> 01:35:30,890
lived in Providence for over 40 years. I've been very active in my

1144
01:35:30,890 --> 01:35:35,610
neighborhood trying to make it a better place to live for everybody and I feel

1145
01:35:35,610 --> 01:35:43,210
that these proposed changes to this ordinance undermine those efforts. I am

1146
01:35:43,210 --> 01:35:47,770
opposed to these proposed changes. This ordinance was introduced on the behalf

1147
01:35:47,770 --> 01:35:52,770
of business owners in one particular area, but yet it's going to affect all

1148
01:35:52,770 --> 01:35:59,690
neighborhoods across the city. As my neighbors have pointed out, enforcement is

1149
01:35:59,690 --> 01:36:08,630
not applied equitably across the city. The elimination of the sections three

1150
01:36:08,630 --> 01:36:13,790
and four relative to evaluating the impact on the local area is a slap in

1151
01:36:13,790 --> 01:36:19,130
the face to residents. It sends the wrong message that the city will not hold

1152
01:36:19,130 --> 01:36:24,490
entertainment businesses accountable for any adverse effects on neighbors. The

1153
01:36:24,490 --> 01:36:30,730
safety of pedestrians is not a priority. Has this committee done any due

1154
01:36:30,730 --> 01:36:35,550
diligence regarding noise complaints across the city over the past year?

1155
01:36:35,990 --> 01:36:41,450
Have you gotten data from PVD-301 or the police department? As pointed out,

1156
01:36:41,450 --> 01:36:44,730
there have been a lot of complaints, but very few citations.

1157
01:36:48,030 --> 01:36:53,450
I believe it is the responsibility, it is your responsibility to investigate the current

1158
01:36:53,450 --> 01:36:58,430
state of affairs across the city to mitigate problems rather than exacerbating them.

1159
01:37:00,840 --> 01:37:05,940
The proposed changes in the ordinance purport to support the life at night initiative, however

1160
01:37:05,940 --> 01:37:10,700
these changes tell me that the life at night initiative will expand the entertainment

1161
01:37:10,700 --> 01:37:14,980
industry at my and my neighbor's expense, this should not be allowed to happen.

1162
01:37:16,180 --> 01:37:20,980
Trust and accountability are important elements in all aspects of government,

1163
01:37:21,420 --> 01:37:24,560
including the licensing and oversight of businesses.

1164
01:37:25,260 --> 01:37:29,980
Therefore, I respectfully ask that this committee not approve the proposed changes.

1165
01:37:30,740 --> 01:37:33,860
I also have some written testimony that I want to submit.

1166
01:37:34,220 --> 01:37:34,900
Thank you, Paula.

1167
01:37:43,800 --> 01:37:44,860
Cheryl Peacock,

1168
01:37:57,200 --> 01:37:57,600
good evening.

1169
01:37:57,600 --> 01:38:07,320
Good evening. And thank you for the opportunity to speak. So I would first like to say that I personally love music.

1170
01:38:07,760 --> 01:38:13,280
What I don't appreciate is music being forced upon me in my home and daily life from surrounding businesses.

1171
01:38:13,940 --> 01:38:17,920
This has severely diminished my right to quality of life on a daily basis.

1172
01:38:18,700 --> 01:38:26,920
I have had to call the police myself on the abuse of the noise ordinance issue in my neighborhood over 100 times in five years.

1173
01:38:26,920 --> 01:38:33,040
It isn't about music. It's about the city's ability or inability to enforce the laws.

1174
01:38:33,460 --> 01:38:37,880
It is extremely unfair to expect anyone to live under these conditions.

1175
01:38:38,500 --> 01:38:46,640
Would anyone here today think a business's consistent noise pollution would be acceptable to hear in your homes on a daily basis?

1176
01:38:49,140 --> 01:38:57,260
So, I have a clip to play and this is what the city's currently allows as incidental

1177
01:38:57,260 --> 01:39:02,160
entertainment where today the laws are clearly not being enforced.

1178
01:39:07,600 --> 01:39:09,900
It's going to come, hold on one sec.

1179
01:39:27,180 --> 01:39:31,380
All right, I pretty much very loud music.

1180
01:39:31,960 --> 01:39:34,180
It's similar to what he played and that's the-

1181
01:39:34,180 --> 01:39:35,440
I get it, we get it.

1182
01:39:35,440 --> 01:39:38,440
The sound I hear in my home

1183
01:39:40,320 --> 01:39:42,840
This is what I hear in my house

1184
01:39:43,780 --> 01:39:49,900
That's how loud I hear it in my house. It's inside your house inside my home. Yes

1185
01:39:52,580 --> 01:39:55,520
So thank you for listening. Thank you for your testimony

1186
01:39:57,340 --> 01:39:59,100
Okay, Jose Dominguez.

1187
01:40:10,760 --> 01:40:15,800
I would not know who to call. I mean I have Jose Dominguez Antonio Castillo

1188
01:40:27,250 --> 01:40:28,750
So, coming up,

1189
01:40:31,740 --> 01:40:34,260
on behalf of all the business owners,

1190
01:40:38,170 --> 01:40:38,470
okay,

1191
01:40:44,410 --> 01:40:47,370
I'm just not going to know from

1192
01:40:47,370 --> 01:40:47,990
the list.

1193
01:40:51,200 --> 01:40:51,880
All right, I'll say.

1194
01:40:52,660 --> 01:40:53,220
Hello,

1195
01:40:58,490 --> 01:40:58,490
everyone.

1196
01:40:58,890 --> 01:40:59,510
Anthony Santuri.

1197
01:40:59,770 --> 01:41:01,490
I'm a local club owner, a business owner.

1198
01:41:01,710 --> 01:41:05,210
I also have a unique position where I'm on the board of several neighborhood associations.

1199
01:41:06,230 --> 01:41:09,490
I've been in this city for well over 25 years.

1200
01:41:10,050 --> 01:41:12,030
Jesus Titan is a friend.

1201
01:41:12,030 --> 01:41:16,490
He's also a business owner, he has brought other business owners, he has brought a group

1202
01:41:16,490 --> 01:41:18,650
of people that work for him, employees.

1203
01:41:19,590 --> 01:41:24,830
What he asked me to say out of respect for everyone's time today was he wanted us to

1204
01:41:24,830 --> 01:41:30,110
know that he wanted to let you all know that he supports fully what Director Joe Wilson

1205
01:41:30,110 --> 01:41:34,770
Jr. presented in the manner that he presented and the spirit he presented.

1206
01:41:35,190 --> 01:41:39,570
He didn't want to have each of his members come up here and continually say the same

1207
01:41:39,570 --> 01:41:40,410
thing over and over.

1208
01:41:40,410 --> 01:41:46,850
In addition to that, I would just like to say for myself, I wasn't even going to speak today.

1209
01:41:47,010 --> 01:41:50,970
I speak at every single thing, but I felt today I'd give everybody else a chance.

1210
01:41:51,870 --> 01:41:59,510
First, this is one of the rare times that I have seen and heard from the members here,

1211
01:42:00,210 --> 01:42:03,450
the council, a real balance in their questioning.

1212
01:42:03,930 --> 01:42:09,070
I really have heard today the business side being addressed and the quality of life being addressed,

1213
01:42:09,070 --> 01:42:14,410
the public safety issue being addressed, but the needs of the economic challenges being addressed.

1214
01:42:14,730 --> 01:42:15,670
So I thank you for that.

1215
01:42:16,430 --> 01:42:19,470
The work that has been done in this is good work.

1216
01:42:20,650 --> 01:42:23,010
I understand too the noise issues.

1217
01:42:23,150 --> 01:42:29,570
I've operated the Coliseum Nightclub over 17 years with 220 apartments in my backyard.

1218
01:42:30,450 --> 01:42:32,070
We've found a way to make it work.

1219
01:42:32,250 --> 01:42:35,430
There are business owners who can find it a way to make it work.

1220
01:42:35,990 --> 01:42:37,310
This is what we should focus on.

1221
01:42:37,310 --> 01:42:42,910
And I know the frustrations of these residents who say we call law enforcement, we call enforcement.

1222
01:42:43,990 --> 01:42:46,630
I don't feel it's fair to blame it all on them.

1223
01:42:46,970 --> 01:42:51,610
They are limited in their resources, where I'd like to start with trying to have these

1224
01:42:51,610 --> 01:42:56,930
types of things which are necessary and needed for the growth of a capital city, a world

1225
01:42:56,930 --> 01:43:01,890
class, a destination city, which is what we are and want to be in addition to

1226
01:43:01,890 --> 01:43:02,630
the creative city.

1227
01:43:02,630 --> 01:43:08,390
When you go before a licensing board, a lot of times you don't understand what's really

1228
01:43:08,390 --> 01:43:09,130
expected of you.

1229
01:43:09,250 --> 01:43:11,810
It's said, but this clearly outlines it.

1230
01:43:12,170 --> 01:43:17,030
I'd like to see us in combination with having enforcement, giving the tool and the knowledge

1231
01:43:17,030 --> 01:43:19,250
for success to the venue stakeholder.

1232
01:43:19,650 --> 01:43:22,110
That person is how this works.

1233
01:43:22,470 --> 01:43:27,790
The person handling the incidental and or temporary or permanent entertainment must

1234
01:43:27,790 --> 01:43:33,410
by in and believe that they need to follow this word for word that has been

1235
01:43:33,410 --> 01:43:37,850
written out. The work that has been done and put into this was done with a lot of

1236
01:43:37,850 --> 01:43:42,010
thought and reason for the greater good of everyone. And I will say to everyone

1237
01:43:42,010 --> 01:43:47,350
behind me who's a resident, if that happens you won't have as many residents

1238
01:43:47,350 --> 01:43:53,330
having this issue because I have been there for 17 years. I have gone to

1239
01:43:53,330 --> 01:43:58,330
neighborhood associations. I have called building owners and property managers

1240
01:43:58,330 --> 01:44:03,450
after the weekend and said how was my music and sometimes in the beginning when

1241
01:44:03,450 --> 01:44:07,810
we were trying to do that wasn't so good. So you work with the DJs who need to

1242
01:44:07,810 --> 01:44:13,990
understand that they can't. You put limiters on. We can do this. I do feel we

1243
01:44:13,990 --> 01:44:18,550
have to get more buy-in because there are and I don't like the term bad actor

1244
01:44:18,550 --> 01:44:21,270
but there are a few that ruin it for the many.

1245
01:44:21,730 --> 01:44:27,910
You have many, many hardworking business owners who we need

1246
01:44:28,430 --> 01:44:31,650
and they shouldn't also be punished or penalized

1247
01:44:31,650 --> 01:44:35,130
because of a handful that we can't seem to figure out won't do it.

1248
01:44:35,430 --> 01:44:38,610
So thank you for your time and I appreciate the work that everyone's doing.

1249
01:44:38,790 --> 01:44:39,350
Thank you, Anthony.

1250
01:44:53,030 --> 01:44:53,430
Thank you.

1251
01:44:56,880 --> 01:44:58,160
Okay, so how do we do this?

1252
01:44:58,160 --> 01:44:59,920
I'm gonna call your name

1253
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:08,960
If you felt that Anthony already spoke on your behalf, you don't need to come up, but just raise your hand and let me know that he spoke for you.

1254
01:45:09,360 --> 01:45:17,780
Yo voy a llamar el nombre de usted, pero si usted siente que ya él habló por usted, solamente levánteme la mano para yo saber que usted está aquí o que se fue.

1255
01:45:18,560 --> 01:45:19,000
Thank you.

1256
01:45:19,000 --> 01:45:20,880
Entonces, José Domínguez.

1257
01:45:20,920 --> 01:45:22,320
Ok, gracias José.

1258
01:45:23,180 --> 01:45:24,740
Antonia Castillo.

1259
01:45:29,630 --> 01:45:30,470
Sujani.

1260
01:45:32,330 --> 01:45:33,290
Familia.

1261
01:45:33,850 --> 01:45:34,150
Algo.

1262
01:45:37,220 --> 01:45:38,320
Ángel Baez.

1263
01:45:41,190 --> 01:45:42,150
Stephanie

1264
01:45:45,930 --> 01:45:46,890
Armanza.

1265
01:45:49,600 --> 01:45:50,260
Es nada.

1266
01:46:03,050 --> 01:46:04,790
15 Snow Street.

1267
01:46:05,330 --> 01:46:05,610
Randy.

1268
01:46:15,060 --> 01:46:15,380
Si.

1269
01:46:19,770 --> 01:46:20,870
Tengo que decirle el nombre.

1270
01:46:26,620 --> 01:46:28,360
Dano Aspenio.

1271
01:46:28,360 --> 01:46:30,200
No, es también 15, no es la calle.

1272
01:46:32,820 --> 01:46:34,660
Ok. Sharon Steele.

1273
01:46:36,140 --> 01:46:37,320
Yo sé que ella está aquí.

1274
01:46:39,120 --> 01:46:39,780
Yo

1275
01:46:46,560 --> 01:46:47,440
te veo todos de nuevo.

1276
01:46:48,140 --> 01:46:48,500
Sí.

1277
01:46:49,200 --> 01:46:51,980
Chairman Espanol, miembros del comité.

1278
01:46:53,960 --> 01:46:54,800
Aquí vamos.

1279
01:46:54,800 --> 01:47:04,820
Go. A copy of an email authored by director Wilson on October 14, 2025 at 11.35 AM appeared

1280
01:47:04,820 --> 01:47:07,900
in my email at 6.14 PM.

1281
01:47:09,940 --> 01:47:17,620
It was sent to 30 people, 25 of them proponents of these changes,

1282
01:47:17,620 --> 01:47:21,140
5 miembros de la staff de la ciudad.

1283
01:47:22,760 --> 01:47:24,260
La gente...

1284
01:47:24,260 --> 01:47:26,760
Cheryl, perdóname un segundo.

1285
01:47:27,060 --> 01:47:28,060
Voy a darles más tiempo.

1286
01:47:28,880 --> 01:47:31,040
Quiero que la gente aquí se sienta

1287
01:47:31,620 --> 01:47:34,920
que no podamos hacer una decisión sobre este item

1288
01:47:35,620 --> 01:47:37,980
para que, si habéis hablado,

1289
01:47:38,400 --> 01:47:39,340
estuviérete alrededor.

1290
01:47:39,680 --> 01:47:41,760
No vamos a votar en este item.

1291
01:47:42,740 --> 01:47:44,120
Concluiremos el publico

1292
01:47:44,120 --> 01:47:46,600
y votaremos en un

1293
01:47:46,600 --> 01:47:53,700
muy pronto, como antes de la siguiente semana, no más de un par de semanas, hasta el mes de noviembre.

1294
01:47:54,260 --> 01:47:58,580
Así que, si ya habéis hablado y queréis irme, y viste aquí por este objeto,

1295
01:47:58,880 --> 01:48:00,380
es bien, no estamos hablando de eso.

1296
01:48:00,560 --> 01:48:01,880
Hemos justificado los testimonios públicos.

1297
01:48:02,740 --> 01:48:04,060
Cheryl, por favor, disculpame.

1298
01:48:04,500 --> 01:48:07,780
No, muchas gracias por compartir eso con todos nosotros.

1299
01:48:07,960 --> 01:48:08,580
Eso es importante.

1300
01:48:08,580 --> 01:48:19,340
que no recibió esa e-mail, no una líder de la neighborsía, sino que hizo José Giusti,

1301
01:48:19,480 --> 01:48:21,780
que es directora de licenciamiento.

1302
01:48:21,780 --> 01:48:30,040
Fast forward, October 19, Go Local published an article quoting Senator Sam Bell about the

1303
01:48:30,040 --> 01:48:33,040
proposed changes to the entertainment ordinance.

1304
01:48:33,920 --> 01:48:38,160
That was three days, literally, before the hearing tonight.

1305
01:48:39,240 --> 01:48:46,640
These proposed changes have had zero input from any neighborhood leaders nor any of the

1306
01:48:46,640 --> 01:48:48,320
people they represent.

1307
01:48:50,000 --> 01:48:52,580
¿Tienes todos estos cambios?

1308
01:48:53,380 --> 01:48:59,700
¿No hay absolutamente nada para proteger las ciudades?

1309
01:48:59,920 --> 01:49:02,720
¿Has escuchado algo de eso individualmente

1310
01:49:02,720 --> 01:49:06,000
de las personas que vivieron en la próxima puerta a estos restaurantes?

1311
01:49:08,520 --> 01:49:11,560
¿Habemos entretenido un estudio comprensivo

1312
01:49:12,440 --> 01:49:15,140
de la entidad extrema y de la entidad extrema?

1313
01:49:15,400 --> 01:49:18,060
Algunas de las personas que realmente hablaban

1314
01:49:18,060 --> 01:49:21,620
lo que estamos hablando de la entidad de la caída de la edad,

1315
01:49:21,660 --> 01:49:24,300
cuando esto habla de la entidad de la caída de la edad.

1316
01:49:24,600 --> 01:49:28,400
Así que tenemos que entender lo que el orden dices en el primer lugar.

1317
01:49:28,880 --> 01:49:32,280
A pesar de las preguntas que todos han preguntado

1318
01:49:32,280 --> 01:49:35,280
y que han sido fabulosas,

1319
01:49:35,560 --> 01:49:38,680
desde que no eres experto en este área,

1320
01:49:39,420 --> 01:49:42,360
el director Azar no podía responder.

1321
01:49:42,360 --> 01:49:48,260
de ellos. Es porque la ordenada propuesta no cubre

1322
01:49:48,260 --> 01:49:53,500
la mitad de las cosas que necesita cubrir. Me he ido a las escuelas de licenciamiento

1323
01:49:53,500 --> 01:50:00,940
por 15 años. Es algo complicado, pero al menos la ordenada tiene que

1324
01:50:00,940 --> 01:50:05,700
adrecer a la compañera de lionas de las cuestiones que raised

1325
01:50:05,700 --> 01:50:10,140
esta noche. Councilman Royas ha traído varias cosas.

1326
01:50:10,140 --> 01:50:12,480
Yo estoy seguro de que hay muchas, muchas más.

1327
01:50:12,880 --> 01:50:17,020
Estas cosas necesitan ser parte y parciales en esta orden.

1328
01:50:17,740 --> 01:50:20,800
¿Es la cualidad de la vida en nuestras habitaciones?

1329
01:50:22,680 --> 01:50:26,240
¿Literalmente estará permitida a, de nuevo,

1330
01:50:27,060 --> 01:50:30,420
sufrir, porque no han tenido input en esto?

1331
01:50:30,860 --> 01:50:34,000
Porque vamos a verlo cuando los restaurantes

1332
01:50:34,000 --> 01:50:35,920
empiezan a operar como clubes de noche,

1333
01:50:35,920 --> 01:50:39,200
clubes, que es precisamente lo que va a suceder.

1334
01:50:39,440 --> 01:50:46,200
No hay un easy fix to this, this is complicated stuff, but it has to be balanced.

1335
01:50:47,440 --> 01:50:51,980
That's why I asked for this hearing to literally be rescheduled.

1336
01:50:52,780 --> 01:50:54,840
The hearing should have been rescheduled.

1337
01:50:55,540 --> 01:50:56,780
Did I hear from anybody?

1338
01:50:57,500 --> 01:50:57,660
No.

1339
01:50:58,800 --> 01:51:04,460
I'd like to share a story about a restaurant, a restaurant in one of the neighborhoods.

1340
01:51:04,460 --> 01:51:11,260
y esto es un ejemplo perfecto de lo que puede suceder y puede muy bien suceder.

1341
01:51:12,360 --> 01:51:18,660
Este restaurante fue licenciado para ser un restaurante, pero decidieron operar como un club de noche.

1342
01:51:18,660 --> 01:51:28,600
club, there was a Melee, there were lots of problems. There was going on in the establishment, under

1343
01:51:28,600 --> 01:51:41,420
age drinking, bottle service, literally music that went well beyond the boundaries, brick

1344
01:51:41,420 --> 01:51:42,620
como se puede decir,

1345
01:51:43,500 --> 01:51:46,780
literalmente lleno de glas,

1346
01:51:47,160 --> 01:51:49,180
fue la próxima de apartments

1347
01:51:49,180 --> 01:51:51,180
que se cumplían los doctores

1348
01:51:51,180 --> 01:51:52,820
en el programado de 8-Ear,

1349
01:51:52,940 --> 01:51:54,460
que literalmente no pudieron dormir.

1350
01:51:57,900 --> 01:51:58,920
¿Qué sucedió?

1351
01:51:59,580 --> 01:52:01,000
Hace un año.

1352
01:52:01,600 --> 01:52:02,800
No puedo decirle a ti

1353
01:52:02,800 --> 01:52:05,020
cuántos viajes al Board de Licencias,

1354
01:52:05,440 --> 01:52:06,780
cuántos policías,

1355
01:52:07,020 --> 01:52:07,720
algunos de ellos,

1356
01:52:07,860 --> 01:52:11,660
si alguien tiene un licenciamiento,

1357
01:52:11,660 --> 01:52:20,140
no es fácil, es un trabajo completo para hacer lo que necesita ser hecho en una manera falsa,

1358
01:52:21,050 --> 01:52:28,000
para literalmente aportar a todos los violaciones que han sucedido ahí.

1359
01:52:30,040 --> 01:52:34,620
Así que aquí estamos, y voy a venir a ustedes con esta pregunta.

1360
01:52:38,130 --> 01:52:40,850
A los miembros del Comité de Ordenance,

1361
01:52:45,030 --> 01:52:57,130
Estamos todos en todos los habitantes, literalmente, que viven y trabajan muy cerca de estos establecimientos.

1362
01:52:57,810 --> 01:53:01,490
Restaurantes son cosas maravillosas, así son los clubes de la noche.

1363
01:53:01,970 --> 01:53:04,670
Los clubes de la noche tienen que viajar a un número increíble.

1364
01:53:04,670 --> 01:53:05,950
número de coches.

1365
01:53:06,330 --> 01:53:09,810
Ellos pagan extraordinaria insurrencia.

1366
01:53:10,290 --> 01:53:12,210
Ellos tienen que tener detalles de policía.

1367
01:53:12,450 --> 01:53:14,090
Ellos tienen que presentar 30 días de

1368
01:53:14,090 --> 01:53:15,630
entretenimiento.

1369
01:53:15,750 --> 01:53:19,310
Ellos son literalmente, literalmente,

1370
01:53:19,770 --> 01:53:22,670
llevados bajo un microscópio.

1371
01:53:23,190 --> 01:53:26,790
No tenemos suficiente policía para

1372
01:53:26,790 --> 01:53:30,210
enforcar restaurantes que están literalmente

1373
01:53:30,210 --> 01:53:33,090
operando bajo las reglas que

1374
01:53:33,090 --> 01:53:35,830
que los clubes de la noche necesitan operar.

1375
01:53:35,970 --> 01:53:38,790
Y no hemos hablado de la orden de la rueda,

1376
01:53:38,790 --> 01:53:42,590
cuando no podemos recordar niveles de decibel

1377
01:53:42,590 --> 01:53:45,810
para la base, el tipo de base

1378
01:53:45,810 --> 01:53:48,470
que literalmente pones en tu cuerpo.

1379
01:53:49,290 --> 01:53:52,610
Eso es lo que es lo que es.

1380
01:53:53,610 --> 01:53:57,770
Así que me pregunto, por favor,

1381
01:53:57,770 --> 01:54:04,870
por la razón de crear un balance, un balance revisado,

1382
01:54:05,950 --> 01:54:07,330
ordenamiento de la entertainación,

1383
01:54:08,490 --> 01:54:12,050
por favor engañen a todos nosotros.

1384
01:54:12,810 --> 01:54:14,830
Tu has preguntado muchas preguntas,

1385
01:54:14,950 --> 01:54:18,330
las respuestas de esas preguntas necesitan ser

1386
01:54:18,330 --> 01:54:21,830
literalmente en los detalles de esta ordenación.

1387
01:54:21,830 --> 01:54:30,350
I beg of you, don't vote on it. Take the time that's necessary to get it right.

1388
01:54:31,470 --> 01:54:32,050
I thank you.

1389
01:54:32,650 --> 01:54:33,210
Thank you, Sharon.

1390
01:54:34,560 --> 01:54:36,740
Priscila León,

1391
01:54:43,200 --> 01:54:44,200
Leni Baez,

1392
01:54:49,970 --> 01:54:51,090
Aleni Cuesta,

1393
01:55:02,050 --> 01:55:03,110
Yosemi Castillo,

1394
01:55:09,740 --> 01:55:10,640
Derek Sacco,

1395
01:55:20,160 --> 01:55:21,320
Gureisi Mendez,

1396
01:55:28,470 --> 01:55:28,890
Kisi

1397
01:55:28,890 --> 01:55:29,610
Cornier,

1398
01:55:36,280 --> 01:55:37,920
Alta Gracia, J.P.

1399
01:55:42,120 --> 01:55:42,800
Next page.

1400
01:55:50,060 --> 01:55:51,380
Solani Rodi,

1401
01:55:57,310 --> 01:55:58,570
Madeline Arias,

1402
01:56:13,220 --> 01:56:14,380
Cynthia Zapata,

1403
01:56:17,940 --> 01:56:18,520
Ana Maria

1404
01:56:18,520 --> 01:56:19,080
María Gruyón,

1405
01:56:25,380 --> 01:56:26,720
Margarita Jerez,

1406
01:56:29,740 --> 01:56:30,860
Onari Batista,

1407
01:56:42,520 --> 01:56:43,480
Lendri Mati,

1408
01:56:47,380 --> 01:56:48,380
Lista Mills,

1409
01:56:53,380 --> 01:56:54,220
Giori Maleni,

1410
01:56:57,560 --> 01:56:58,020
Rafael

1411
01:56:58,020 --> 01:56:59,060
Bernardes,

1412
01:57:01,120 --> 01:57:02,080
Carlos Fernandez,

1413
01:57:04,740 --> 01:57:05,740
Luis Aguilar,

1414
01:57:12,590 --> 01:57:13,650
María Estrella,

1415
01:57:17,580 --> 01:57:22,180
Jacen Sheridan, Jason Armanza,

1416
01:57:32,500 --> 01:57:34,220
I'm Jason Almira.

1417
01:57:35,580 --> 01:57:36,340
I'm Jason Almira.

1418
01:57:38,980 --> 01:57:40,020
I'm Jason Almira.

1419
01:57:40,840 --> 01:57:45,100
A lot of people in the city know me under my stage name of Where's Nasty iDJ.

1420
01:57:45,960 --> 01:57:49,740
I'm a Providence resident born and raised on the east side off of Camstreet.

1421
01:57:51,180 --> 01:57:56,240
I got my start in nightlife at the age of 16 when I was a student at classical high school.

1422
01:57:59,740 --> 01:58:07,400
Soy el co-founder de State Silent, una compañía creativa y plataforma basada en Providence que

1423
01:58:07,400 --> 01:58:10,580
refiere a producir eventos, diseñar contentes editoriales.

1424
01:58:11,640 --> 01:58:16,480
Soy también el co-owner de Crib en la Lounge 1070 en la ciudad de Norte de Providence.

1425
01:58:16,740 --> 01:58:18,600
Es un club en la venta de danza.

1426
01:58:18,960 --> 01:58:25,080
También es el mismo espacio en el que me he puesto a las partidas donde era Tantric.

1427
01:58:26,000 --> 01:58:32,240
En 2024, programamos más de 80 eventos, entre nuestros eventos de signatures, incluyendo

1428
01:58:32,240 --> 01:58:37,500
nuestro festival de diáteros, y eventos que hacemos en nuestro escrituario, y también

1429
01:58:37,500 --> 01:58:39,680
con eventos de partner que hacemos con los producentes de eventos.

1430
01:58:40,540 --> 01:58:43,060
Estoy aquí hoy para advocatear para los cambios.

1431
01:58:44,260 --> 01:58:48,660
Las reglas currentes están muy outdated, y nuestra cultura es relevante para los

1432
01:58:48,660 --> 01:58:52,980
necesarios de los patrones de muchos de los negocios que han servido los patrones

1433
01:58:52,980 --> 01:58:54,920
en la ciudad de Providence, en la comunidad larga.

1434
01:58:56,880 --> 01:59:02,860
Y también creo que está fuera de línea con la moneda que Providence ha estado

1435
01:59:02,860 --> 01:59:05,600
pasando durante dos décadas, la capital creativa.

1436
01:59:06,940 --> 01:59:10,700
Los DJs necesitan ser tratados como artistas, músicos, y una amenaza

1437
01:59:10,700 --> 01:59:11,900
que un negocio puede elegir.

1438
01:59:13,320 --> 01:59:16,260
Estamos en un negocio y cultural globalmente,

1439
01:59:16,260 --> 01:59:18,780
donde muchos de los lounge de escuchar, las barras pequeñas,

1440
01:59:18,960 --> 01:59:21,640
barras de café y otras vínculos nonconventionales

1441
01:59:21,640 --> 01:59:23,600
ofrecen la entertainación de DJ,

1442
01:59:23,740 --> 01:59:27,540
como los patrónes están despejando de gran capacidad de danza de clubes,

1443
01:59:27,540 --> 01:59:30,060
pero aún quieren escuchar música y tener espacios juntos.

1444
01:59:31,440 --> 01:59:35,320
DJ ha sido una de las más accesibles formas de engañar con música,

1445
01:59:35,640 --> 01:59:38,660
también es una de las más costas efectivas formas

1446
01:59:38,660 --> 01:59:43,360
para un negocio que le da a la experiencia de música en su establecimiento.

1447
01:59:43,980 --> 01:59:46,120
O incluso en el punto en el que los servicios de streaming

1448
01:59:46,120 --> 01:59:48,140
están ahora arreglando la actividad de DJ

1449
01:59:48,140 --> 01:59:54,300
Dejando a sus suscribiros para mezclar y arreglar canciones por BPM y Key.

1450
01:59:54,580 --> 01:59:59,540
Puedes hacer esto en Spotify, te da la fortaleza a DJ sin necesidad de equipamiento.

1451
02:00:02,100 --> 02:00:06,200
And I'm going to wrap this up by saying that Providence is at a crucial point where it can

1452
02:00:06,200 --> 02:00:11,880
fully embrace being the creative capital and stop treating deejaying and music as noise

1453
02:00:11,880 --> 02:00:16,960
and a nuisance and fully embrace it as part of the arts and unnecessary amenity for businesses.

1454
02:00:17,460 --> 02:00:21,760
We need to decide if we're going to keep calling music noise or is it going to be

1455
02:00:21,760 --> 02:00:26,340
art in the creative capital. And I think this is a question that whenever we're talking

1456
02:00:26,340 --> 02:00:31,780
about music. We have to remember that music is a large part of the arts. It's a thing

1457
02:00:31,780 --> 02:00:35,200
that connects so many of us culturally. It brings so many different people together.

1458
02:00:35,900 --> 02:00:41,100
It breaks borders. It's intergenerational. So I think when we speak about these things,

1459
02:00:41,220 --> 02:00:46,480
and while I do agree that there does have to be rules and regulations around these things,

1460
02:00:47,000 --> 02:00:50,700
I think some of these things that are being presented is a start. I think there's a lot

1461
02:00:50,700 --> 02:00:55,860
more that that we can do but I think these proposed amendments are things that

1462
02:00:55,860 --> 02:01:00,860
are very necessary for the current landscape that we have as business

1463
02:01:00,860 --> 02:01:05,760
owners and also culturally as people are seeking experiences in the city. Thank

1464
02:01:05,760 --> 02:01:07,220
you. Thank you Jason.

1465
02:01:13,810 --> 02:01:14,830
Brian Rivas,

1466
02:01:19,220 --> 02:01:20,320
Alba Baez,

1467
02:01:25,800 --> 02:01:27,060
Bricelli Riva,

1468
02:01:30,430 --> 02:01:31,550
Christopher Riva,

1469
02:01:52,960 --> 02:01:54,000
You know,

1470
02:02:04,860 --> 02:02:09,340
what I have is signatures, instead of printing names, so it's a little bit difficult

1471
02:02:09,340 --> 02:02:13,400
to make it out, so I apologize if I butcher your name here.

1472
02:02:17,360 --> 02:02:18,400
Alexis Carrington,

1473
02:02:22,540 --> 02:02:24,440
Alex Tomaso Good

1474
02:02:31,260 --> 02:02:32,720
evening, Chairman, Council President.

1475
02:02:32,720 --> 02:02:40,840
Thank you for giving me also the opportunity to share my thoughts and my experiences in

1476
02:02:40,840 --> 02:02:47,960
Providence, being in the hospitality nightclub bar and business since 1992, where I opened

1477
02:02:47,960 --> 02:02:49,780
up on Troop Alley.

1478
02:02:50,320 --> 02:02:59,620
First let me also thank the gentleman that spoke first, Councilman Taylor, and one

1479
02:02:59,620 --> 02:03:08,080
of the key elements in the last two hours that I took at least is the phrase common sense.

1480
02:03:08,960 --> 02:03:11,420
So thank you, common sense.

1481
02:03:14,030 --> 02:03:18,870
I'm going to continue. And also, Alex, that's actually Mr. Bob

1482
02:03:18,870 --> 02:03:24,550
Hazer from the Department of Planning. I'm reading the name. Okay. In no such case,

1483
02:03:24,550 --> 02:03:32,170
my respect, and again, common sense. That's acceptable. Great, great point. Absolutely.

1484
02:03:32,690 --> 02:03:40,190
I also would like to say that I am also, and have been for many years, but recently also,

1485
02:03:40,350 --> 02:03:47,170
very recently, 10 months old, a club owner, actually right next door to my friend at the

1486
02:03:47,170 --> 02:03:49,610
Coliseum and yes, he does a great job.

1487
02:03:51,390 --> 02:03:55,070
So that being said, I think in my opinion

1488
02:03:55,690 --> 02:03:58,450
that the reason that I was coming here tonight

1489
02:03:59,730 --> 02:04:03,930
was to address the ordinance before us.

1490
02:04:04,810 --> 02:04:08,970
I listened to all of the speakers

1491
02:04:09,750 --> 02:04:11,510
give their opinions and thoughts

1492
02:04:14,400 --> 02:04:16,520
and I respect their opinions and thoughts.

1493
02:04:16,520 --> 02:04:25,840
but this has to do with things that happened in the past, issues that have been in the past.

1494
02:04:26,700 --> 02:04:36,320
Tonight I'm coming here under the understanding to talk about the ordinance that is focused on the future.

1495
02:04:40,380 --> 02:04:44,820
We're not here to create new entertainment licenses.

1496
02:04:45,900 --> 02:04:50,460
We're not here to certainly create new nightclubs.

1497
02:04:50,980 --> 02:04:52,900
That's not why I think I'm here.

1498
02:04:53,860 --> 02:05:02,450
I think we're here to talk about almost like a pilot program, again, if I'm correct.

1499
02:05:03,010 --> 02:05:05,170
This is on trial for one year.

1500
02:05:05,930 --> 02:05:06,850
This ain't permanent.

1501
02:05:07,510 --> 02:05:11,550
So in other words, in 12 months, if this doesn't work,

1502
02:05:13,640 --> 02:05:14,060
it's gone.

1503
02:05:15,080 --> 02:05:23,140
But if it does work, like Joe Wilson said, this can be a great opportunity for the city of

1504
02:05:23,140 --> 02:05:26,880
Providence, which is long, long overdue.

1505
02:05:28,100 --> 02:05:32,640
And I speak with a ton of experience, those that know me, know me.

1506
02:05:33,640 --> 02:05:39,080
I also own the George for the last five years, we're in our sixth year, extremely

1507
02:05:39,080 --> 02:05:46,700
successful restaurant that does live music. We have an entertainment license.

1508
02:05:47,460 --> 02:05:52,200
What we're here talking about is not a full-blown entertainment license

1509
02:05:52,200 --> 02:05:58,480
because there are very, very much restrictive in control in place and I

1510
02:05:58,480 --> 02:06:05,820
think that's a good thing. So what I mean is 9 p.m. it stops.

1511
02:06:10,390 --> 02:06:11,590
On weekends 11

1512
02:06:11,590 --> 02:06:13,010
That's

1513
02:06:15,160 --> 02:06:20,880
not a nightclub. I've done over 10 nightclubs in the city of Providence.

1514
02:06:21,120 --> 02:06:30,480
So I speak with a little bit of knowledge. We, or I am here because I'm speaking on what I do know.

1515
02:06:30,980 --> 02:06:34,140
I have three businesses on Atwell's Avenue.

1516
02:06:36,960 --> 02:06:41,600
Little Italy, one of the focal point neighborhoods of Providence.

1517
02:06:42,800 --> 02:06:46,800
just got done celebrating the Columbus feast for three days.

1518
02:06:50,250 --> 02:06:51,950
So I can speak on

1519
02:06:51,950 --> 02:06:58,030
what I do know. I don't know the entire city, but I do know Washington Street

1520
02:06:58,030 --> 02:07:04,210
where the George is and how it's helped with the entertainment at the George

1521
02:07:04,210 --> 02:07:13,200
without limitations, successfully for six years. So again, Atwells Avenue,

1522
02:07:15,270 --> 02:07:16,150
we have

1523
02:07:16,150 --> 02:07:22,250
five six new restaurants coming in and that's great I think everybody would

1524
02:07:22,250 --> 02:07:27,910
agree with that but for those five or six restaurants that are coming in they

1525
02:07:27,910 --> 02:07:33,510
didn't create new buildings that means five or six restaurants went out of

1526
02:07:33,510 --> 02:07:37,790
business they went out of business so

1527
02:07:43,100 --> 02:07:45,840
the point that I'm here for is to

1528
02:07:45,840 --> 02:07:55,420
fully fully 100% endorsed and give us an opportunity in these restaurants because

1529
02:07:55,420 --> 02:08:00,620
there's one nightclub that I love on Atwell's Avenue and that's the 1221.

1530
02:08:02,780 --> 02:08:08,000
There are no nightclubs. There's no we can't even apply for an entertainment

1531
02:08:08,000 --> 02:08:15,100
license and that's why I'm grateful to be here to have the opportunity to

1532
02:08:18,020 --> 02:08:18,120
have

1533
02:08:18,120 --> 02:08:20,760
a possibility of having some type of entertainment.

1534
02:08:26,140 --> 02:08:29,800
So I'm asking that you support this. I'm asking

1535
02:08:29,800 --> 02:08:37,260
that it gets approved as quick as possible because that makes a major difference for restaurants.

1536
02:08:41,780 --> 02:08:46,160
The entertainment complements the fine dining.

1537
02:08:48,300 --> 02:08:51,120
The restaurants that are charging 40 to

1538
02:08:51,120 --> 02:08:57,280
$60 a dinner, we're a restaurant and I understand your concern. It could happen

1539
02:08:57,280 --> 02:09:01,860
where a restaurant would move the tables, but then it would have to stop at 9 o'clock at night.

1540
02:09:04,560 --> 02:09:09,000
The limitations are so strict, and I think that's a good thing. It's a good test.

1541
02:09:12,240 --> 02:09:18,920
Nightclubs, and I've been doing this for years, we don't get busy till 11, 11, 30 if we even get

1542
02:09:18,920 --> 02:09:19,260
busy.

1543
02:09:23,430 --> 02:09:27,650
So because it was so thought out and so crafted so well,

1544
02:09:31,380 --> 02:09:33,480
the limitations of 9 and 11

1545
02:09:33,480 --> 02:09:40,100
PM on weekends, and if I may give an opinion on weekends, this is a Friday and Saturday

1546
02:09:40,100 --> 02:09:45,840
night state. Not a Friday and Saturday night city. If we don't, if we're not busy on a Friday

1547
02:09:45,840 --> 02:09:51,660
and Saturday night, that place will be locking its doors. It ain't like Florida where I just

1548
02:09:51,660 --> 02:09:58,260
came from and visited. They do business five, six nights a week. This is a Friday

1549
02:09:58,260 --> 02:10:00,860
and Saturday night state.

1550
02:10:03,780 --> 02:10:05,900
Providence being the gem of the state.

1551
02:10:08,780 --> 02:10:10,720
We rely having

1552
02:10:13,120 --> 02:10:20,040
that entertainment where someone like a Ron Giorgio, Steve Anthony, and I can go

1553
02:10:20,040 --> 02:10:25,740
on and on just go on my website at the George has successfully enhanced that

1554
02:10:25,740 --> 02:10:29,900
ability to stay open. It will do the same thing.

1555
02:10:33,300 --> 02:10:35,040
Again I speak to what I

1556
02:10:35,040 --> 02:10:43,400
of Annapolis Avenue. Right now we don't have that opportunity except for maybe one

1557
02:10:43,400 --> 02:10:49,560
or two. I also owned a restaurant in the plaza called Viola's. We were blessed

1558
02:10:49,560 --> 02:10:54,480
and fortunate that we were the exception. We were the only area to have

1559
02:10:54,480 --> 02:11:01,720
live entertainment. Long as it stopped by midnight and it's been like that for

1560
02:11:01,720 --> 02:11:09,600
30 years. We're asking that the other restaurants and cafes have at least an opportunity, A,

1561
02:11:10,700 --> 02:11:13,320
to hire these musicians or DJs,

1562
02:11:15,680 --> 02:11:19,600
which that's how most of them make a living, and it definitely

1563
02:11:19,600 --> 02:11:24,760
would make a difference to the business owners. And I know that for a fact.

1564
02:11:29,130 --> 02:11:30,610
So again, Friday

1565
02:11:30,610 --> 02:11:32,110
Friday and Saturday would be weekends.

1566
02:11:33,090 --> 02:11:42,610
If it's a Sunday, just like the regular entertainment licenses, Friday and Saturday, not that this

1567
02:11:42,610 --> 02:11:47,010
is what we're talking about here, but as an example, we get to close it too.

1568
02:11:47,430 --> 02:11:51,550
If it's a Sunday holiday, we get to close it too, not on the Monday.

1569
02:11:52,390 --> 02:11:59,050
So perhaps the idea to solve that question would be 11 p.m. on a Friday and Saturday,

1570
02:11:59,050 --> 02:12:08,110
then it's no more entertainment. Sunday perhaps also 11 p.m. I think there's

1571
02:12:08,110 --> 02:12:11,430
seven Sundays in the year that that would apply so

1572
02:12:13,480 --> 02:12:15,960
okay thank you for your

1573
02:12:15,960 --> 02:12:23,340
time Mr. Tomaso thank you. I hope you were considerate and again thank you.

1574
02:12:27,550 --> 02:12:27,950
All right

1575
02:12:29,960 --> 02:12:33,420
I cannot make out these things but I'll call the address which

1576
02:12:33,420 --> 02:12:37,560
45 Waverly Street no

1577
02:12:44,600 --> 02:12:47,660
35 Laura Street I

1578
02:12:55,780 --> 02:12:56,600
got a phone number

1579
02:13:05,240 --> 02:13:06,980
21 Anthony Avenue

1580
02:13:13,010 --> 02:13:15,190
Francisco Mende I

1581
02:13:25,110 --> 02:13:27,530
got another phone number in the name that I cannot make out

1582
02:13:33,120 --> 02:13:34,320
phone number

1583
02:13:35,080 --> 02:13:36,360
Felix Garcia

1584
02:13:37,560 --> 02:13:38,780
Eddie Peña

1585
02:13:43,710 --> 02:13:44,950
John Martinez

1586
02:13:52,060 --> 02:13:54,900
John make sure that I can read his name. All right

1587
02:13:55,700 --> 02:13:56,740
Good evening, John.

1588
02:13:57,820 --> 02:13:58,280
You're welcome.

1589
02:13:59,120 --> 02:14:01,420
Good evening, everyone. My name is John Martinez.

1590
02:14:02,060 --> 02:14:04,480
I'm the owner of Area Restaurant and Lounge.

1591
02:14:04,740 --> 02:14:06,100
I'm 319 Pecasset Avenue.

1592
02:14:08,020 --> 02:14:12,060
I found out about this amendment late last night,

1593
02:14:12,220 --> 02:14:13,340
but I'm happy to be here.

1594
02:14:13,820 --> 02:14:16,900
I think it's a great opportunity for our business.

1595
02:14:17,380 --> 02:14:24,040
I cringe when I hear the residents say what they say about our business

1596
02:14:24,640 --> 02:14:30,480
and the way some some characters choose to run their businesses. My sincere

1597
02:14:30,480 --> 02:14:37,020
apologies to everyone. That's not who we are and it's very unfortunate to have to

1598
02:14:37,020 --> 02:14:42,680
stand up here and defend my business but I'm happy to do so because I think

1599
02:14:42,680 --> 02:14:48,280
that we need true leaders in the city as it pertains to nightlife and I

1600
02:14:48,280 --> 02:14:55,740
I recognize the challenges culturally that we have, trying to temper down our customers

1601
02:14:56,280 --> 02:14:59,760
and help them understand that there are rules and laws.

1602
02:15:00,460 --> 02:15:03,300
Not everything is a nightclub. Not everything should be a nightclub.

1603
02:15:03,760 --> 02:15:13,580
I think the difference here is the time. The difference here is the prohibitions put in place to control what we're doing.

1604
02:15:14,160 --> 02:15:18,480
I think people should take that seriously. I have a different experience with my business.

1605
02:15:19,120 --> 02:15:27,000
I've been enforced. I do get visits from the city. We are accountable to the rules and regulations that are here for providence.

1606
02:15:27,820 --> 02:15:35,520
but we also want to survive and we also want to allow our residents within our communities

1607
02:15:35,520 --> 02:15:40,080
to have a place to go and have a good meal and maybe have some entertainment. We want

1608
02:15:40,080 --> 02:15:43,900
to provide a great service to the people in our community. We want people to go somewhere

1609
02:15:43,900 --> 02:15:50,140
safe. We do want to share our Latin Infuse menu with everyone who wants to try some

1610
02:15:50,140 --> 02:15:56,680
really great food, have a great cocktail in a safe environment and if having entertainment

1611
02:15:56,680 --> 02:16:00,200
and makes that experience a bit more impactful for them

1612
02:16:00,200 --> 02:16:01,640
and makes it want to come back.

1613
02:16:02,020 --> 02:16:03,900
And that's money in my employees' pockets,

1614
02:16:04,100 --> 02:16:05,320
that's money in the city's pockets,

1615
02:16:05,880 --> 02:16:07,240
and it's a great experience.

1616
02:16:07,440 --> 02:16:10,020
And it does add to the vitality

1617
02:16:11,760 --> 02:16:15,480
and the essence of our city of Providence, right?

1618
02:16:16,160 --> 02:16:19,200
I left for 20 years and I came back home with a dream

1619
02:16:19,200 --> 02:16:20,900
to kind of build something in my own neighborhood.

1620
02:16:21,860 --> 02:16:23,380
And it's tough, right?

1621
02:16:23,500 --> 02:16:24,600
We have a lot of regulations,

1622
02:16:24,600 --> 02:16:26,680
We have a lot of economic challenges right now.

1623
02:16:27,820 --> 02:16:29,860
So these are just opportunities that we really, really appreciate,

1624
02:16:30,200 --> 02:16:31,580
and we really want to follow to the tee,

1625
02:16:32,200 --> 02:16:33,680
so that we enhance our business.

1626
02:16:33,900 --> 02:16:35,260
And it's not going to be about music.

1627
02:16:35,460 --> 02:16:36,440
It's always food first.

1628
02:16:36,600 --> 02:16:40,240
It's how can we add some value within that parameter

1629
02:16:40,240 --> 02:16:43,800
so that our customers can come in and enjoy a better experience.

1630
02:16:44,380 --> 02:16:46,040
And that's, you know, I endorse it.

1631
02:16:46,340 --> 02:16:46,920
We need it.

1632
02:16:47,580 --> 02:16:48,540
We're trying to survive.

1633
02:16:48,760 --> 02:16:50,080
Not everyone is the same.

1634
02:16:50,780 --> 02:16:55,280
and you know while it's easy to say we shouldn't pay for the penalties of the

1635
02:16:55,280 --> 02:17:00,920
field I mean I think that we should be accountable to our peer group but we do

1636
02:17:00,920 --> 02:17:03,660
really need the opportunity and there are some really good actors to give for

1637
02:17:03,660 --> 02:17:07,960
an opportunity to show the city that we can we can follow the rules and

1638
02:17:07,960 --> 02:17:14,320
provide something a little bit different and better to our community thank you

1639
02:17:14,320 --> 02:17:16,400
John thank you councilor

1640
02:17:24,340 --> 02:17:27,240
Roya chair just want to quickly comment on that

1641
02:17:27,240 --> 02:17:33,840
testimony. I think it was John, right? John, that was just well said. I appreciate your

1642
02:17:33,840 --> 02:17:42,280
presentation. Very rational. And thank you for staying the accountability piece. And so

1643
02:17:42,280 --> 02:17:46,680
I'm really fortunate to have business owners in this city like you. Thank you for your

1644
02:17:46,680 --> 02:17:48,420
testimony. Thank you, Councilman.

1645
02:17:52,910 --> 02:17:55,950
John, you have no idea how much that means to

1646
02:17:55,950 --> 02:17:57,670
So here, Councilman Roy, speak like that.

1647
02:17:57,910 --> 02:17:58,670
Thank you, Councilman.

1648
02:17:59,250 --> 02:18:00,170
Oh, oh, oh, oh.

1649
02:18:00,170 --> 02:18:02,070
Oh, oh, oh, oh.

1650
02:18:02,070 --> 02:18:05,210
Jose Mendez, not here.

1651
02:18:13,900 --> 02:18:14,160
Media.

1652
02:18:15,780 --> 02:18:18,700
Jonathan from 86 Summer Street,

1653
02:18:26,020 --> 02:18:27,840
85 Gallatin Street,

1654
02:18:36,760 --> 02:18:41,620
Garcia from 86 Rail Something Street.

1655
02:18:44,750 --> 02:18:45,170
No?

1656
02:18:49,440 --> 02:18:50,260
OK, next page.

1657
02:18:50,260 --> 02:18:51,420
Uh,

1658
02:18:58,960 --> 02:19:02,440
Willie from 27 Ruffian Street?

1659
02:19:03,560 --> 02:19:04,560
Nope.

1660
02:19:05,420 --> 02:19:06,760
Desi Diaz,

1661
02:19:09,150 --> 02:19:12,010
Bernardo da Salas, 91 Sumter Street.

1662
02:19:16,160 --> 02:19:18,900
Uh, then I got another phone number, so...

1663
02:19:23,060 --> 02:19:26,540
Kimberly from 16 Summer Street,

1664
02:19:33,940 --> 02:19:35,940
716 Central Avenue,

1665
02:19:38,430 --> 02:19:40,790
Cashly Reyes,

1666
02:19:42,820 --> 02:19:44,200
Yenely Contreras,

1667
02:19:46,280 --> 02:19:47,180
Malcolm Taylor,

1668
02:19:50,820 --> 02:19:51,620
Janelle Taylor,

1669
02:19:55,340 --> 02:19:56,800
Suheri Montero,

1670
02:19:59,730 --> 02:20:01,230
Suherita Rosa,

1671
02:20:07,500 --> 02:20:10,300
825 Pony of Calf,

1672
02:20:16,390 --> 02:20:20,550
Martín López, Giovanni Nunes,

1673
02:20:22,860 --> 02:20:24,300
Claire Estel,

1674
02:20:27,450 --> 02:20:29,110
Elizabeth López,

1675
02:20:33,120 --> 02:20:33,760
Rachel

1676
02:20:33,760 --> 02:20:35,060
Sompin,

1677
02:20:37,130 --> 02:20:38,590
Fabio Munoz.

1678
02:20:40,610 --> 02:20:45,290
All right, so is there anyone here that has not spoken that would like to speak?

1679
02:20:46,170 --> 02:20:47,530
I just went through the list.

1680
02:20:48,970 --> 02:20:49,270
Okay.

1681
02:20:49,270 --> 02:20:51,210
So City

1682
02:21:05,130 --> 02:21:10,410
Sergeant, did we have any, that was the only list for item number one, right?

1683
02:21:10,830 --> 02:21:11,130
Okay.

1684
02:21:43,580 --> 02:21:48,540
I did ask that if there's anyone, even if you didn't sign up and you'd like to speak,

1685
02:21:48,840 --> 02:21:49,620
come on up.

1686
02:21:52,650 --> 02:21:52,770
No.

1687
02:21:53,590 --> 02:21:53,810
Alright.

1688
02:21:54,990 --> 02:21:56,390
So time to close up all the hearing.

1689
02:21:59,790 --> 02:22:04,390
Alright, so Madam Clerk being that no one else has signed up to speak.

1690
02:22:07,310 --> 02:22:12,470
Mr. Oscar Vargas, Councilor Vargas, you were going to say something.

1691
02:22:13,130 --> 02:22:17,350
Yes, I want to say thank you to everyone who came today and testified, taking the time.

1692
02:22:18,170 --> 02:22:31,430
But at the same time, I would like to make some motion to amend the Friday night.

1693
02:22:31,750 --> 02:22:33,070
Do you want to add an amendment?

1694
02:22:33,070 --> 02:22:40,810
Do you want to add an amendment to this audience, the Friday night between 11 p.m.

1695
02:22:43,560 --> 02:22:47,940
and any holiday

1696
02:22:48,980 --> 02:22:53,480
to stay tonight p.m.

1697
02:22:56,660 --> 02:23:03,720
Because according to the audience says weekdays to 9 p.m.

1698
02:23:05,880 --> 02:23:06,080
but

1699
02:23:06,080 --> 02:23:08,020
doesn't mention anything about holidays.

1700
02:23:10,820 --> 02:23:13,200
It's a holiday, it's a Monday, and we have

1701
02:23:13,200 --> 02:23:16,420
Sundays. Sunday is 11 p.m. according to the ordinance.

1702
02:23:20,220 --> 02:23:23,640
The idea is to have Friday to

1703
02:23:23,640 --> 02:23:24,620
11 p.m.

1704
02:23:27,570 --> 02:23:33,930
as a weekend. According to all these people who testified, they keep

1705
02:23:33,930 --> 02:23:40,630
saying the Friday the weakness is starting Friday, Friday night, all the

1706
02:23:40,630 --> 02:23:41,170
to Sunday.

1707
02:23:43,750 --> 02:23:51,290
So you want to incorporate Fridays into the weekend scheduling? Correct. And

1708
02:23:51,290 --> 02:23:58,750
holidays should be considered? Weekday. Until 11pm on holidays? Is that what you're saying?

1709
02:24:00,130 --> 02:24:09,410
Holiday is this, because usually we have all holidays on Mondays except for July, Thanksgiving.

1710
02:24:09,410 --> 02:24:09,590
even?

1711
02:24:12,300 --> 02:24:15,300
Those holidays, they don't fall into Mondays.

1712
02:24:20,210 --> 02:24:21,230
Mr. Ayes, are you

1713
02:24:23,980 --> 02:24:28,240
getting it?

1714
02:24:30,540 --> 02:24:35,060
Yeah, it sounds like Kansai Mabaga wants to add Fridays to

1715
02:24:35,060 --> 02:24:44,760
weekends and also holidays to 11 p.m. Yeah, so just to be clear then,

1716
02:24:46,840 --> 02:24:48,000
where it

1717
02:24:50,520 --> 02:24:50,720
says

1718
02:24:50,720 --> 02:24:59,500
it shall cease by 9 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends. If we can be more specific

1719
02:25:00,120 --> 02:25:10,700
and say it shall cease by 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday through

1720
02:25:10,700 --> 02:25:11,240
Sunday.

1721
02:25:13,260 --> 02:25:19,880
We want to say 9 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and

1722
02:25:19,880 --> 02:25:20,480
Saturday.

1723
02:25:24,160 --> 02:25:31,380
Not on Sundays because when we have holidays on Monday they want

1724
02:25:31,380 --> 02:25:40,760
to extend to 11. Do you want to do you want to say the extend to 11 on the

1725
02:25:40,760 --> 02:25:48,320
day before a holiday. Now we can work that out. Okay I'm just I'm just trying to I'm

1726
02:25:48,320 --> 02:25:51,840
not expressing an opinion I'm just trying to make sure that we get this

1727
02:25:51,840 --> 02:25:57,640
accurately so it sounds like what you're saying is that the incidental

1728
02:25:57,640 --> 02:26:11,880
entertainment shall cease at 9 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on

1729
02:26:11,880 --> 02:26:20,100
Friday, Saturday, and the night before a city holiday, a city-recognized holiday?

1730
02:26:26,180 --> 02:26:37,560
So you basically, what it sounds like, what Councilman Wang is proposing is to switch Sundays for Fridays.

1731
02:26:39,600 --> 02:26:47,480
so Fridays will be to 11 along with Saturday and then Sunday it's instead of

1732
02:26:47,480 --> 02:26:53,400
being 11 p.m. on Sundays it'll be 9 p.m. so we're looking at Sunday through

1733
02:26:53,400 --> 02:27:03,100
Thursday 9 p.m. except for a holiday yes the other part to that is that on

1734
02:27:03,100 --> 02:27:05,540
holidays it'll be 11.

1735
02:27:08,890 --> 02:27:12,330
A night before holiday will be to 11.

1736
02:27:15,080 --> 02:27:15,880
I think I hear

1737
02:27:15,880 --> 02:27:22,320
what the councilman is saying is that Friday and Saturday and the night before

1738
02:27:22,320 --> 02:27:25,980
a holiday would be 11 o'clock. Correct.

1739
02:27:28,680 --> 02:27:29,960
That's what I understand.

1740
02:27:48,470 --> 02:27:50,750
That was just

1741
02:27:50,750 --> 02:27:51,690
Thanksgiving holidays.

1742
02:27:55,180 --> 02:27:56,900
That doesn't fall into Monday.

1743
02:28:01,550 --> 02:28:04,390
The holiday doesn't fall on Mondays.

1744
02:29:01,130 --> 02:29:03,890
Thank you, Aaron. That makes sense.

1745
02:29:13,540 --> 02:29:15,140
Councilman Royas.

1746
02:29:15,660 --> 02:29:23,460
Sorry. I just want to make sure that Mr. Azar knew what Aaron had just said.

1747
02:29:27,440 --> 02:29:29,000
No, I did not hear it.

1748
02:29:31,280 --> 02:29:31,780
I

1749
02:29:41,440 --> 02:29:42,380
agree with that.

1750
02:29:47,690 --> 02:29:50,270
Are you clear with these two amendments?

1751
02:29:52,290 --> 02:29:53,810
Because then I'm going to go to Councilwoman Peterson.

1752
02:29:54,430 --> 02:29:59,690
Okay, so what I heard was...

1753
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:05,780
If incidental, I'm reading the way that it is proposed by Councilman Vargas.

1754
02:30:06,340 --> 02:30:14,900
If incidental entertainment is provided as a live music performance, it shall cease at 9 o'clock p.m.

1755
02:30:16,420 --> 02:30:28,540
Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday comma Saturday and the night before a city

1756
02:30:28,540 --> 02:30:29,980
recognized holiday.

1757
02:30:33,140 --> 02:30:33,980
Correct.

1758
02:30:37,000 --> 02:30:40,540
All right, so Councilwoman Peterson. If I could

1759
02:30:40,540 --> 02:30:45,300
request that we deliberate on one more potential amendment it would be to

1760
02:30:45,300 --> 02:30:53,360
include these the understanding of karaoke and trivia as designated

1761
02:30:53,360 --> 02:30:58,560
opportunities for incidental which I think would go a long way especially in

1762
02:30:58,560 --> 02:31:03,280
neighborhoods like mine that don't necessarily have larger venues with

1763
02:31:03,280 --> 02:31:08,820
large music opportunities or anything like small restaurants and small bars so

1764
02:31:09,480 --> 02:31:13,280
that would be the only thing I do need. I believe that there might be a little bit

1765
02:31:13,280 --> 02:31:17,400
more research that needs to be done around that one but nevertheless I would

1766
02:31:17,400 --> 02:31:19,440
propose and advocate for that.

1767
02:31:23,930 --> 02:31:28,050
As soon as Rian Bob and also for Aram can that

1768
02:31:28,050 --> 02:31:34,470
amendment also be incorporated? The way I would do that is in the definition

1769
02:31:34,470 --> 02:31:43,730
of incidental entertainment, it would say, incidental entertainment is background music

1770
02:31:43,730 --> 02:31:52,410
limited to the following formats, A, live music performance, B, prerecorded music played

1771
02:31:52,410 --> 02:32:03,010
from a preselected playlist over a permanently installed sound system, or C, trivia and

1772
02:32:03,010 --> 02:32:05,210
karaoke so

1773
02:32:20,250 --> 02:32:26,090
being that I think that that is it right there motion I will be

1774
02:32:26,090 --> 02:32:33,130
entertaining emotion to amend and our last Mr. A's are to read the first

1775
02:32:33,130 --> 02:32:40,430
amendment pertaining to the change in the days in the hour you got it yet

1776
02:32:40,430 --> 02:32:45,810
right I'm getting practice all right so the first so the first change would

1777
02:32:45,810 --> 02:33:00,510
be in the definition of incidental entertainment, the sentence is, I think it's the second

1778
02:33:00,510 --> 02:33:12,390
or last sentence would be revised to say if incidental entertainment is provided as a

1779
02:33:12,390 --> 02:33:23,710
at 9 o'clock p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11 o'clock p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and

1780
02:33:23,710 --> 02:33:27,690
the night before a city recognized holiday.

1781
02:33:36,300 --> 02:33:37,040
So move.

1782
02:33:40,730 --> 02:33:45,010
Motion is made by Councilor Vargas, second by Councilwoman Peterson, all in favor.

1783
02:33:45,290 --> 02:33:45,450
Aye.

1784
02:33:46,170 --> 02:33:46,830
Opposed?

1785
02:33:47,890 --> 02:33:48,670
The ayes have it.

1786
02:33:49,270 --> 02:33:51,130
Second motion is to ayes or please.

1787
02:33:51,130 --> 02:33:52,190
Okay,

1788
02:33:54,940 --> 02:33:59,260
this would be a change to the first sentence of the definition of incidental entertainment.

1789
02:33:59,860 --> 02:34:05,320
It would now read, incidental entertainment is background music limited to the following

1790
02:34:05,320 --> 02:34:13,060
formats, A, live music performance, B, pre-recorded music played from a pre-selected playlist

1791
02:34:13,540 --> 02:34:19,520
over the permanently installed sound system, or C, trivia and karaoke.

1792
02:34:22,180 --> 02:34:22,720
So move.

1793
02:34:22,720 --> 02:34:28,380
motion is made by Councilman Vargas, second by Councilwoman Peterson, all in favor, aye.

1794
02:34:29,200 --> 02:34:32,720
Opposed? The ayes have it. Thank you.

1795
02:34:36,160 --> 02:34:40,420
This concludes this item, so I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

1796
02:34:43,370 --> 02:34:49,770
Made by Councilwoman Royas, and second by Councilwoman Peterson, all in favor, aye.

1797
02:34:51,030 --> 02:34:55,890
Opposed? The Ayes have it. And now I will entertain a motion to continue this item.

1798
02:34:55,950 --> 02:34:56,390
So moved.

1799
02:34:56,750 --> 02:35:01,790
May the Councilor Ma'am Varga, second by Councilwoman Peterson, all in favor, aye.

1800
02:35:02,270 --> 02:35:03,850
Opposed? The Ayes have it. Thank you.

1801
02:35:05,810 --> 02:35:14,170
Okay, we still, we have a long night, but we still have one more item, which is item number three pertaining to cannabis.

1802
02:35:14,510 --> 02:35:15,990
Mr. Azar, are you ready?

1803
02:35:35,790 --> 02:35:44,910
Item number three is an ordinance in amendment of Chapter 27 of the Code of Ordinances of

1804
02:35:44,910 --> 02:35:49,450
the City of Providence entitled, The City of Providence Owning Ordinance Approved November

1805
02:35:49,450 --> 02:35:56,570
24, 2014 as amended to change certain regulations regarding cannabis establishment.

1806
02:35:56,570 --> 02:36:02,270
Thank you. I want to turn a motion to enter into the record exhibit D, which is the letter

1807
02:36:02,270 --> 02:36:06,770
from the CPC. Seconded by Councilwoman Peterson, seconded by Councilman Vargas, and in favor

1808
02:36:06,770 --> 02:36:12,010
aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you. Mr. Esso, please.

1809
02:36:12,870 --> 02:36:21,110
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This amendment is in response to recent changes in state law.

1810
02:36:21,110 --> 02:36:28,650
The way that our regulations have been since they were originally adopted,

1811
02:36:31,110 --> 02:36:32,240
they require that,

1812
02:36:34,390 --> 02:36:35,370
apologize,

1813
02:36:38,660 --> 02:36:45,940
get to bear with me just for a second, they currently require, our local regulations

1814
02:36:45,940 --> 02:36:55,580
applications currently require any establishments that sell or cultivate cannabis to obtain

1815
02:36:55,580 --> 02:36:59,580
state approvals before applying for municipal approvals.

1816
02:37:00,100 --> 02:37:05,560
But the new rules, I think I misspoke, I don't think it's new laws.

1817
02:37:05,760 --> 02:37:14,660
I think it's the new rules that were adopted by the Cannabis Commission now require applicants

1818
02:37:14,660 --> 02:37:17,320
against to obtain approval from the municipality

1819
02:37:18,200 --> 02:37:19,920
before they apply for state approval.

1820
02:37:20,140 --> 02:37:23,620
So it's the opposite of the process that we have in place.

1821
02:37:24,360 --> 02:37:30,460
So this merely changes the sequencing of the process

1822
02:37:30,460 --> 02:37:32,840
so that it's consistent with state law.

1823
02:37:33,360 --> 02:37:36,760
The same rules will apply, the same separation distances,

1824
02:37:37,640 --> 02:37:40,760
the same requirements for square footage and so forth.

1825
02:37:41,240 --> 02:37:43,100
All of that is exactly the same.

1826
02:37:43,100 --> 02:37:48,060
the same zones where these facilities are allowed, those are all the same.

1827
02:37:52,620 --> 02:37:59,820
So it's just, again, to be consistent with the state regulations.

1828
02:38:00,380 --> 02:38:04,240
There's one change that I might ask you to consider,

1829
02:38:04,240 --> 02:38:15,180
and it's simply in the use table, wherever we have one of these uses, if we could label them

1830
02:38:15,180 --> 02:38:22,320
cannabis, dash, and then the specific use, because right now we have our use table in alphabetical

1831
02:38:22,320 --> 02:38:28,500
order and all of these uses are in different places. Some are under C, one of them is under

1832
02:38:28,500 --> 02:38:36,280
S for social equity workers cooperative. So if we could, if you would just allow us in

1833
02:38:36,280 --> 02:38:41,740
the use table to preface each of these uses with cannabis so that they're all together,

1834
02:38:42,710 --> 02:38:49,480
all it does is rearrange them so it's clearer for those who are using the ordinance. It's

1835
02:38:49,480 --> 02:38:56,320
nothing more than a clerical change. But in any event, the City Plan Commission did

1836
02:38:57,040 --> 02:39:02,920
recommend approval of this and I know there has been some urgency from the

1837
02:39:02,920 --> 02:39:11,840
Cannabis Commission because there are some applications that are kind of caught

1838
02:39:11,840 --> 02:39:16,740
in a bit of limbo because there's a chicken or the egg problem the way that

1839
02:39:16,740 --> 02:39:21,880
our rules are written today. Thank you Bob. I understand this could be pretty

1840
02:39:21,880 --> 02:39:26,300
complex but basically we just continue to align our local laws with the

1841
02:39:26,300 --> 02:39:31,860
and understanding that at some point, like now, there are minor adjustments that we need to make.

1842
02:39:32,160 --> 02:39:32,580
That's right.

1843
02:39:33,100 --> 02:39:39,660
So that's basically it. Does the committee have any objection to the amendment that Mr. Azar suggested?

1844
02:39:42,780 --> 02:39:48,600
Chair, I just want to let Mr. Azar know that I'm really on the fence about this clerical change.

1845
02:39:49,360 --> 02:39:51,840
I'm not sure if I can support that right now.

1846
02:39:51,840 --> 02:39:53,300
All right,

1847
02:39:55,650 --> 02:39:57,550
so Mr.

1848
02:39:59,890 --> 02:40:01,890
Azar prepared to make the amendment,

1849
02:40:02,550 --> 02:40:05,150
so I will get ready to entertain that amendment.

1850
02:40:08,960 --> 02:40:10,680
Yeah, so the amendment would be...

1851
02:40:10,680 --> 02:40:14,420
All right, so I'll go right ahead.

1852
02:40:14,780 --> 02:40:20,240
Yeah, so the amendment would be that for each of the uses as they appear,

1853
02:40:20,440 --> 02:40:25,260
each of the cannabis-related uses as they appear in the use table,

1854
02:40:25,260 --> 02:40:28,600
that they would be prefaced with the word cannabis

1855
02:40:28,600 --> 02:40:32,320
so that they're all properly in alphabetical order.

1856
02:40:33,740 --> 02:40:35,680
And the way I would do that,

1857
02:40:36,020 --> 02:40:42,920
I could make this a little bit clearer.

1858
02:40:44,940 --> 02:40:48,390
So here let's do this.

1859
02:40:49,350 --> 02:40:53,550
The use hybrid cannabis retailer

1860
02:40:53,550 --> 02:41:01,910
slash cannabis cultivator would have the word cannabis in front of it with a

1861
02:41:01,910 --> 02:41:11,330
dash and then social equity slash workers cooperative licensed cannabis

1862
02:41:11,330 --> 02:41:19,410
retailer would also have cannabis cannabis dash in front of it. Those are

1863
02:41:19,410 --> 02:41:23,030
the two changes that would appear in the use tape. Thank you and this motion

1864
02:41:23,030 --> 02:41:23,790
is made by

1865
02:41:27,400 --> 02:41:32,420
Councilwoman Peterson, and it's second by Councilman Royers, all in favor

1866
02:41:32,420 --> 02:41:35,040
aye, opposed the ayes have it. Thank you.

1867
02:41:37,140 --> 02:41:40,720
Any further questions for Mr. Azar?

1868
02:41:41,140 --> 02:41:41,420
Yes.

1869
02:41:41,580 --> 02:41:42,040
Hearing none.

1870
02:41:42,260 --> 02:41:43,700
Do you have a question, Councilwoman Vargas?

1871
02:41:43,960 --> 02:41:44,020
Yes.

1872
02:41:44,020 --> 02:41:44,440
Go right ahead.

1873
02:41:45,560 --> 02:41:46,620
I got a question.

1874
02:41:49,140 --> 02:41:54,400
So, like you were saying, like now we switch that we had to approve

1875
02:41:54,400 --> 02:41:59,680
them first for them to go to the state, what about we don't approve them?

1876
02:42:01,260 --> 02:42:02,420
I guess they won't go to the state.

1877
02:42:03,700 --> 02:42:07,760
If they're not approved locally then they're not eligible for a state license.

1878
02:42:10,360 --> 02:42:15,500
And so we have the authority to say no and yes.

1879
02:42:16,220 --> 02:42:18,140
It all depends what location they're looking for, right?

1880
02:42:19,440 --> 02:42:30,360
The city has the authority but only to the extent that the zoning ordinance allows for

1881
02:42:30,360 --> 02:42:30,560
it.

1882
02:42:30,780 --> 02:42:43,580
So there are, for each of the different uses, either the use is allowed by needing a special

1883
02:42:43,580 --> 02:42:48,640
use permit from the zoning board, or it's allowed without a special use permit,

1884
02:42:49,120 --> 02:42:55,880
but in either case there are what we call use standards, and use standards are

1885
02:42:57,040 --> 02:43:06,940
things like you have to take measures to contain noise and odors, you have to

1886
02:43:06,940 --> 02:43:11,680
have a security plan, you have to have staffing and so forth, so there are

1887
02:43:11,680 --> 02:43:17,980
all these standards. If in the opinion of either the zoning board or the zoning enforcement

1888
02:43:17,980 --> 02:43:24,200
office or the application doesn't meet those standards, then the application locally would

1889
02:43:24,200 --> 02:43:24,980
be rejected.

1890
02:43:25,800 --> 02:43:27,760
One more question.

1891
02:43:30,600 --> 02:43:38,680
How many licenses do the city of province have to approve? According

1892
02:43:38,680 --> 02:43:40,640
according to the five.

1893
02:43:41,400 --> 02:43:47,080
So, I don't have this number off the top of my head,

1894
02:43:47,220 --> 02:43:49,960
but the way that the state law is structured,

1895
02:43:50,960 --> 02:43:55,980
they broke up the state into several different zones

1896
02:43:56,400 --> 02:44:00,080
and each zone gets a certain number of licenses.

1897
02:44:00,760 --> 02:44:02,360
It's not a large number.

1898
02:44:03,300 --> 02:44:08,120
We're in the same zone as several five licenses.

1899
02:44:11,340 --> 02:44:18,820
Yeah, I think, yeah, I wish I had the law in front of me, but we're in the same zone

1900
02:44:18,820 --> 02:44:25,280
with several other communities, and there can only be a certain number of, it's definitely

1901
02:44:25,280 --> 02:44:29,300
less than 10 licenses within a given zone, I see.

1902
02:44:33,000 --> 02:44:37,020
We have our policy expert, thank you Miguel.

1903
02:44:37,220 --> 02:44:39,500
The cannabis expert, awesome.

1904
02:44:39,580 --> 02:44:40,120
Don't smoke it.

1905
02:44:40,440 --> 02:44:40,700
Yeah.

1906
02:44:40,700 --> 02:44:45,400
So, just to kind of go back, I think we talked about this months ago, there were 24 total

1907
02:44:45,400 --> 02:44:49,240
licenses, six regions, four per region.

1908
02:44:49,900 --> 02:44:54,140
We share a region with Johnston, Lincoln, Cumberland, stuff like that.

1909
02:44:54,640 --> 02:44:57,920
So, there's a finite number in this.

1910
02:44:58,140 --> 02:44:58,720
Thank you, Miguel.

1911
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:07,980
Yeah, so worst case scenario, we get four, but we're obviously not the only community in

1912
02:45:07,980 --> 02:45:14,440
the same zone. Yeah, thank you. So each community has the same opportunity, nothing to guarantee

1913
02:45:15,240 --> 02:45:25,580
to any particular community. Thank you. All right, so item number three, pretending to

1914
02:45:25,580 --> 02:45:32,160
cannabis. The end of this no further question. I would like to take a motion to close the

1915
02:45:32,160 --> 02:45:38,720
public hearing on item number three, made by Councilman Varga, second by Councilman Royer,

1916
02:45:39,500 --> 02:45:44,640
all in favor aye. Aye. Opposed the ayes have it. And I will also entertain a motion to

1917
02:45:44,640 --> 02:45:49,520
continue this item. Made by Councilman Peterson, second by Councilman Varga, all in favor

1918
02:45:49,520 --> 02:45:55,160
aye. Aye. Opposed the ayes have it. This item number three is continued being that

1919
02:45:55,160 --> 02:45:58,420
And there is no further business in the calendar on this in a motion to adjourn.

1920
02:45:58,580 --> 02:45:59,000
So moved.

1921
02:45:59,440 --> 02:46:03,260
Made by Councilwoman Peterson and by Councilman Vargas.

1922
02:46:03,720 --> 02:46:05,840
And I know it's second by Councilman Royes.

1923
02:46:06,300 --> 02:46:07,220
All in favor, aye.

1924
02:46:07,940 --> 02:46:08,240
Opposed?

1925
02:46:08,360 --> 02:46:09,020
The ayes have it.

1926
02:46:09,120 --> 02:46:10,060
This meeting is adjourned.

1927
02:46:10,500 --> 02:46:11,180
Thank you.