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Residents and police describe 'open‑air concert' at Jones; commission to require future permits appear before panel
Summary
Police and neighbors told the Entertainment Commission that a one‑night event at Jones on July 31 created concert‑level noise that reverberated through surrounding high‑rise buildings, prompting citations and a staff decision to require future permit hearings for that venue.
Neighbors and police told the Entertainment Commission that a July 31 one‑night event at Jones generated concert‑level noise in a mixed residential area and continued past the expected stop time, prompting multiple complaints and citations.
An account submitted to the police describing the disturbance said: "On the evening of 07/31/2012 at approximately 07:30, there was a major noise disturbance due to a band playing at the open air concert sound level within the mixed residential neighborhood." The resident reported that the music could be heard well into the evening and that, because the area is canyon‑like with tall buildings, sound reverberated and caused windows and glass to vibrate.
Central Station officers said they received numerous phone calls and that officers responded, issued citations and were still awaiting some incident reports. Officer Steve Mathias told the commission that the event had been permitted as a one‑night indoor event but had operated with amplified outdoor sound and that "the fact that you heard any noise whatsoever means this, it was exceeded." He said citations were issued and staff would take steps to prevent recurrence.
Staff told the commission that one‑night event permits are intended for indoor events; because the Milo/Jones application indicated an indoor Microsoft event, the indoor permit was issued. Staff said the applicant has paid outstanding citations and completed outreach. As a result of the July 31 disturbance and subsequent email complaints, commission staff stated that "if Jones comes to staff for any permit at all in the future, they will come before this commission."
Commissioners discussed options for enforcement and the limits of denial under code 10‑60.5, noting that if the commission continued a matter without legal grounds, a permit could be granted automatically under the code. Commissioners emphasized monitoring and enforcement: if an approved permit's conditions are violated, the commission can suspend the permit.
The commission did not reverse prior permits at the meeting but instructed staff and police to monitor compliance and to require future in‑person hearings for the venue if it seeks any permit going forward.
