A string of public commenters at the Feb. 18 Flagstaff City Council meeting pressed the council to consider the history and context of a multi-year dispute between nearby homeowners and Southside Tavern, arguing against targeted law changes to address the noise conflict.

Jill Dyer, Matthew Dyer and other residents told the council the tavern operates within allowed hours for the Community Commercial District and that complainants knew of the bars presence when they purchased properties in the area. Several speakers asked council to visit San Francisco Street to observe hours and noise levels before making policy changes that could affect businesses in the Southside.

Matthew Dyer said his family had documented the areas long history of bars and nightclubs and that the burden should not fall on a single business. He described investing in a continuous monitoring device to record noise and argued the city should use data, not allegations, when considering changes.

A public commenter also raised questions about whether proposed Downtown Business Association exemption zones would include properties in the area and whether existing rules could create incentives for competitors to report minor infractions.

Council and staff previously agreed to review city noise studies and what other cities do; at the Feb. 18 meeting council members did not take formal action on the matter. Speakers requested council pursue site visits and careful review of zoning and liquor-license histories before making policy changes.

Why this matters: The comments reflect a recurring, years-long neighborhood vs. nightlife dispute in a district zoned for mixed commercial use. Council members said earlier they would review studies and practices and asked staff to develop background material before any ordinance changes are proposed.