Apr
30
This will likely be my last post on this story. As I anticipated, the Baltimore City Council has pretty much given up on this controversial piece of legislation. Almost every page of the new revision of the bill, posted on the City Council’s website, looks like this. Mme. President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has insisted throughout the process that the sole purpose of this legislation was to enable small bars and restaurants to host live performance as an added value to the experience they offer their patrons, while protecting the interests of community members. That is exactly what this revision does, amending zoning laws to allow small bars and restaurants, who currently are not permitted to host any form of live entertainment, including allowing their patrons to dance, to apply to the zoning board for a conditional live entertainment license. That’s it. Ever since this bill’s introduction last summer, existing live music venues have felt that their city’s government was out to get them. Now they have every right to feel vindicated. Yep, I’m pretty much declaring victory on this one.
Oh, and The Baltimore Sun finally decided that this story is worthy of their attention.
Apr
24
Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake delivered great news at the beginning of tonight’s Community Work Session. Apparently, existing venues will be grandfathered in, not subject to the provisions of the new bill, and newly licensed venues will not have to pay any fees. I almost left the meeting right then, since that was all I’ve been wanting to hear since this process began, and I was not sure that I had parked legally. The council has heard the complaints from club owners, musicians, and fans of the Baltimore music scene and taken them to heart. Other news is that, due to the drastic changes to the bill, the final vote will not take place next week as planned. Next Thursday’s meeting will be another hearing like the Community Work Sessions have been, but earlier and at City Hall. Then a “final” draft of the bill will go before a Planning Commission hearing on May 14, with a final vote in June. More after the jump. (more…)
Apr
23
The final community work session on the Live Entertainment Licenses legislation is occurring tonight. It will be held at the Federal Hill Preparatory School, 1040 William Street, Baltimore, MD at 6:30pm April 23rd. If you want to have your voice heard on this landmark legislation for music in the City of Baltimore, make sure you attend this work session. The vote is taking place next Thursday, April 30th at 5pm in the Baltimore City Hall. Please attend both if you can and demonstrate that the people want an equitable path to making live music thrive in Baltimore.
Apr
17
The bill continues to evolve. The City Council has posted a new version of the bill, along with a FAQ, from the desk of the Council President. Many of the additions and changes to this draft please supporters of the Baltimore music scene. The whole council has not voted on this draft, and I hear that other council members indicated at last night’s community work group that they do not like some of the newest changes. That is a shame, because many interested parties find themselves in the unusual position of supporting Mrs. Rawlings-Blake. My thoughts follow after the jump. Almost all of my news comes from lurking on the BLAS message board, which I recommend that anyone interested in this process join. I will be attending the final community work group next Thursday, which I expect will be some event.
Part 1 Part 2 (more…)
Apr
05
There were many concerned citizens in attendance for the first community work session for the new live entertainment licenses legislation, but over half of the chairs were empty, and most of the people who stepped to the microphone supported the legislation. However, the Baltimore Business Journal reports that the fire marshall had to close the doors to the Morgan State University auditorium that hosted the second work session last Tuesday, and the minutes posted by Baltimore Live Arts Supporters (BLAS, primarily comprised of performers and music fans who frequent the clubs owned by the members of BLABA) describe a contentious meeting, with applause following several testimonies against the legislation.
This post tells you of new sources of information on the issues, with some further ruminations after the jump. Although the Baltimore Sun continues to ignore the issue, the Baltimore Business Journal and Maryland Daily Record each published stories last week. I will continue to file reports here, but if you would like to connect more directly to grassroots organization you can join the BLAS Google group or join this Facebook group organized by students at the Maryland Institute College of Art. An alliance of the live music and fine arts communities (which of course overlap anyway) will be crucial to shaping the new legislation into something everyone can live with.
Part 1 of the story (more…)
Mar
27
The highlights of the bill, according to the Baltimore City Council
The Baltimore City Council is currently considering legislation that would establish a system of licenses for live performance venues to replace the current zoning board jurisdiction over them. Everyone agrees that the intentions behind the bill are good: to allow for more live performance in Baltimore. However, the issue is very complex, and there is a lot of room for questioning the motives of those involved. Michael Byrne and Chris Landers of the Baltimore City Paper seem to be the only journalists covering this legislation. Therefore, I will be filing a series of stories on the issue until after the final hearing on the bill at the end of April.
Last week a consortium of venue owners formed the Baltimore Live Arts Business Association (BLABA), and their representatives were present at the first of four Community Work Session hearings held by the Baltimore City Council. Details of that meeting and an outline of issues that I will cover in upcoming posts follow after the jump. (more…)
