* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: “El Poblado Nightclub Injunction”] [00:00:19] HI EVERYBODY. WELCOME. I AM SALLY ALCORN, THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE POSITION NUMBER FIVE AND CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. I AM JOINED BY DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT D COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, REPRESENTING HPD. WE HAVE CENTRAL DIVISION COMMANDER ALVARO GUZMAN, REPRESENTING THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY AND WE ALSO HAVE DAMON CRENSHAW, ARTURO MICHELLE AND DAMON CRENSHAW, THE SECTION CHIEF AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WHO HANDLED THE CASE WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING TODAY. UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME NEIGHBORS FROM VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, UM, NOISY NIGHTCLUBS AND BARS EFFECT, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS HERE TODAY TOO. WE ALSO HAVE MR. BURNSIDE, WHO IS, UM, WITH DISTRICT ONE, THE OWNER OF THE BAR WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY. UH, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS THE CITY RECEIVED THIS WEEK. GOOD NEWS FOR HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY LATE, LOUD, LATE NIGHT NOISE COMING FROM BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS NEAR THEIR HOMES. I'LL START BY SAYING THAT BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO HOUSTON'S ECONOMY. WE WANT OUR CITY TO HAVE A ROBUST NIGHTLIFE SCENE, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ALL THE WONDERFUL VENUES WHO ACT AS GOOD NEIGHBORS AND PLAY BY THE RULES. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS COMBATING THE CLUBS WHO ARE REPEAT VIOLATORS OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE. BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, UM, WHEN I WAS, I CHAIRED A MEETING OF THE REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WHERE WE LITERALLY HEARD HOURS AND HOURS OF TESTIMONY FROM RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY WHO LIVE NEARBY BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS WHO WERE JUST PLAYING LATE NIGHT, LOUD, EXCESSIVE NOISE. WE HEARD ALL KINDS OF COMPLAINTS, COMPLAINTS OF LOUD DECIBEL, NOISE, COMPLAINTS OF BASE NOISE. UH, UH, THEY TALKED ABOUT A CUMBERSOME AND LENGTHY COURT PROCESS TO GET ANY OF THE CITATIONS THROUGH THE COURTS. THEY TALKED ABOUT HAVING NO SLEEP, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS BASICALLY NO END IN SIGHT. TOGETHER WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN AND EVAN SHABAZZ, I WORKED WITH MAYOR TURNER, C CIVIC CLUB AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEER GARDEN AND BAR ASSOCIATION, AND STAFF FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, CITY LEGAL, AND THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DRAFT REVISIONS TO THE ORDINANCE TO STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S RULES THAT WE HAD ON THE BOOKS. THESE CHANGES WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 4TH, 2022, AND BECAME EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022. SOME OF THE UPDATES INCLUDED INCREASING THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR A NOISE VIOLATION FROM $1,000 TO $2,000, REVISING THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PERMIT BE ISSUED TO AN ESTABLISHMENT RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL REQUIRING A NEW COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT PER PERMIT FOR NIGHTCLUBS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS THAT WERE WITHIN 300 FEET OF A RESIDENCE. AND THAT PLAYED AMPLIFIED SOUND THAT COULD BE HEARD OUTDOORS AFTER 10 O'CLOCK ON MONDAYS THROUGH THURSDAYS AND 11 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS. COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS ARE RESTRICTED FROM PLAYING ANY OUT OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND BETWEEN TWO AND 6:00 AM CO. WE ALSO CODIFIED AND REFINED THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS FOR RE FOR THE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT TO FOCUS ON REPEAT VIOLATIONS BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE A ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DIRECTOR IN COORDINATION WITH HPD BASED ON VALID COMPLAINTS, AS WELL AS CALLS FOR SERVICE AND CITATIONS ISSUED. AS PART OF THE HEARING PROCESS, THE PERMITEES HAVE THE OPTION OF TO PROPOSE AND IMPLEMENT A SOUND IMPACT PLAN, A PLAN TO MITIGATE LOUD NOISE GOING ON OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IF THE HEARING OFFICER ACCEPTS THE PROPOSED SOUND IMPACT PLAN, THE BUSINESS WILL HAVE 90 DAYS TO IMPLEMENT IT. IF A PLAN IS NOT OFFERED, ACCEPTED OR IMPLEMENTED, IT COULD RESULT IN AN UP TO 180 DAY SUSPENSION OR ONE YEAR REVOCATION. THESE CHANGES WERE PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENHANCE THE CITY'S ABILITY TO GAIN COMPLIANCE FROM REPEAT VIOLATORS. AFTER ISSUING OVER A HUNDRED CITATIONS TO THE BAR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WHICH IS EL BLATO AT 7 0 2 WEST DALLAS, AND OWNED BY DISTRICT ONE INC. THE CITY REVOKED EL PLATO'S COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT, WHICH ALLOWED OUTDOOR SOUND AMPLIFICATION WITHIN 300 FEET OF A RESIDENCE. ON MAY 2ND, 2023, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONDUCTED AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING TO CONSIDER REVOCATION OF THE CLUB'S PERMIT. UPON CONSIDERATION OF THE EVIDENCE, INCLUDING ABSENCE OF THE PERMITEE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER UPHELD THE [00:05:01] CITY'S REVOCATION OF EL PA POBLANOS COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT. DESPITE LOSING ITS PERMIT, EL BLATO CONTINUED TO ALLOW OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND IN VIOLATION OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE, RESULTING IN MORE CITATIONS. THE CITY SUBSEQUENTLY FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CLUB SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. ON AUGUST 22ND, 2023, STATE DISTRICT JUDGE FREDERICA PHILLIPS OF THE 61ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT GRANTED THE CITY'S APPLICATION FOR AN AGREED TEMPORARY INJUNCTION AND AND ENTERED THE FOLLOWING NOISE RELATED ORDERS. DISTRICT ONE INC SHALL CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH DECIBEL LEVELS AS REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 30 AND SHALL NOT USE OUTDOOR SOUND AMPLIFICATION EQUIPMENT ON ANY PART OF THE PREMISES UNTIL THE CITY ISSUES THE REQUIRED COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT. AND EL PABLA WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO REAPPLY FOR THIS PERMIT BEFORE MAY 10TH, 2024. DISTRICT ONE INC SHALL REMOVE OR DISCONNECT OUTDOOR AMPLIFICATION EQUIPMENT UNTIL THE CITY ISSUES A PERMIT ALLOWING SUCH DISTRICTS ONE SHALL CONTINUE USING SOUND MEASURING DEVICES TO KEEP RECORD OF THEIR NOISE LEVEL MEASUREMENTS ON THEIR PREMISES, WHICH WILL, AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO HPD COMMANDER GUZMAN, THE LOUD NOISE ABATEMENT UNIT ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE TERMS OF THIS TEMPORARY INJUNCTION REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT TRIAL ON THE PERMANENT INJUNCTION IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR JULY 22ND, 2024. THE JUDGMENT SHOULD PUT THIS JUDGMENT SHOULD PUT REPEAT VIOLATORS ON NOTICE THAT THE CITY IS SERIOUS ABOUT ENFORCING THE NOISE ORDINANCE, AND WE WILL HOLD REPEAT VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS NEWS SHOULD GIVE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FAR TOO LONG FROM EXCESSIVE NOISE COMING FROM THESE BARS. SOME HOPE THAT THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. NOW I'LL TURN THE MIC OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UH, NOT ONLY FOR HOSTING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT, UH, DISTRICT C IS PLAGUED BY LOUD NOISE ISSUES. AND WHEN A RESIDENT THAT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, HERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ISSUES WITH LOUD NOISE. IT GOES BEYOND NOISE. IT'S VIBRATIONS IN HOMES, IT'S SCREWS ACTUALLY COMING UNDONE. UM, FROM IT. IT'S PREGNANT WOMEN THAT ARE TRYING TO SLEEP AND GET REST AND ARE ENDING UP IN, I BELIEVE, THEIR BATHROOMS TO TRY AND SHIELD THEMSELVES FROM THE NOISE. THIS GOES BEYOND JUST NORMAL NOISE THAT YOU AND I MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZ, MYSELF, MAYOR TURNER, UM, ALL CAME TOGETHER UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AS CHAIR, UH, TO BEEF UP OUR SOUND ORDINANCE BECAUSE AGAIN, BAD ACTOR BARS WERE IN AN INEXCUSABLE WAY, DISTURBING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS. BUT, AND I THINK TODAY SHOWS RESIDENTS ALSO CAN MAKE SOME NOISE. HOUSTONIANS, UH, MAY NOT, WE NOT HAVE ZONING. WE MAY NOT HAVE ZONING, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO BE A BAD NEIGHBOR. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER, ALCORN SAID, AND I ECHO, BUSINESS IS GOOD FOR OUR CITY BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY A BAD THING. IN FACT, SOME OF OUR MOST VOCAL ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS ON THE SOUND ORDINANCE THAT SUPPORTED THIS MET IN BARS, UH, BECAME MARRIED, UH, FROM MEETING IN BARS. SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ATTACKING BUSINESS, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER. AND I DO WANNA SAY THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY OUR NIGHTLIFE BUSINESSES, OUR TERRIFIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR BEEFED UP SOUND ORDINANCE, WE ARE SHOWING HOUSTONIANS CAN NOW HOLD THOSE THAT ARE IN VIOLATION ACCOUNTABLE. I WANNA APPLAUD AND THANK OUR RESIDENTS FOR THE TENACITY AND THEIR DEDICATION. UH, WE HAVE THE FAIRCHILDS HERE, UH, CHRIS PRATT, STEWART NELSON, BUT THAT'S JUST A SAMPLE OF THE DOZENS AND COUNTLESS OF RESIDENTS THAT HAVE VOICED THEIR OPINION AND WORKED WITH US. AGAIN, ACTIONS, UH, SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. AND EVEN IN A BIG BUREAUCRACY, UH, IT IS NO MATCH FOR GOOD NEIGHBORS WITH A STRONG SENSE OF CIVIC DUTY. WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TEETH AND ENFORCE, UH, THE SOUND ORDINANCE. AND THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT. UH, BUT I DID WANNA SPOTLIGHT THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT SOUND AND WE TALK ABOUT THE NUISANCE OF THAT SOUND. THERE'S THE ISSUES RELATED TO QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT IT'S ALSO A STRAIN ON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. [00:10:01] AND I WANNA THANK COMMANDER GUZMAN AND THEIR TEAMS, UH, AT HPD THROUGH LEGAL AS WELL, AND OUR DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE FOR EVERY CALL IT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS TO RESPOND. AND WHEN YOU HAVE COUNT, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THESE CALLS, IT IS CONTINUING TO PUT A STRAIN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY THIS ORDINANCE IS SO IMPORTANT. I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK ALSO MR. BURNSIDE FOR BEING HERE. UH, WE APPRECIATE THAT. UH, THEY HAVE COME TO THE TABLE. THEY HAVE AGREED TO THIS, UH, INJUNCTION IN ENFORCEMENT. AND I THINK THAT IT SHOWS, UH, WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK THAT WE ARE HERE AS A CITY TO WORK WITH, WITH BUSINESSES. BUT LET IT BE KNOWN IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR A BAD ACTOR THAT THINKS THAT YOU CAN SKIRT THE RULES, YOU ARE NOW ON NOTICE. UH, WITH THAT, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE THAT HAS MADE TODAY POSSIBLE. AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE, UH, THROUGH THE SOUND ORDINANCE, BUT AGAIN, GIVING TEETH TO THIS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, WE HOPE IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. GO AHEAD. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVAN SHABAZZ, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF CLUBS IN THE DESTINATION AND WE GET COUNTLESS EMAILS FROM SLEEP DEPRIVED CITIZENS, UH, LETTING US KNOW THAT THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY, UH, JUST SLEEP DEPRIVED AND, AND HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME COEXISTING. AND SO I WANT TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE AND GIVE GRATITUDE TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN FOR LEADING THIS CHARGE AND FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR HER INVALUABLE ADVOCACY AND CON AND CONTRIBUTIONS. IT'S TRULY COMMENDABLE TO WITNESS OUR CITY'S REPRESENTATIVES COMING TOGETHER TO TACKLE AN ISSUE THAT HAS CAUSED GREAT DISCOMFORT TO OUR COMMUNITY. FROM THE OUTSET, LET ME EMPHASIZE THAT HOUSTON IS A CITY OF VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AND THRIVING BUSINESSES. OUR LOVE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, FOR CULTURE, FOR LATE NIGHT EXPERIENCES IS WHAT MAKES THIS A DYNA DYNAMIC CITY. AND YET THE ESSENCE OF THE CITY LIES IN THE BALANCE BETWEEN ITS COMMERCIAL ASPIRATIONS AND THE WELLBEING OF ITS RESIDENTS. IN ALL HONESTY, BACK IN THE DAY, I USED TO SHAKE IT ON DOWN, BUT I NEVER REALIZED THAT SOME OF THAT MUSIC WAS PROBABLY EVEN THEN A PROBLEM. SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND SO I WANT TO SAY THAT EL BLATO AND ESTABLISHMENTS LIKE IT OFFER GREAT VALUE TO OUR CITY'S ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE, BUT IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THEY OPERATE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW AND RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF NEARBY RESIDENTS. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT NOISE OR DECIBEL LEVELS, IT'S ABOUT A LARGER COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY WELFARE AND COEXISTENCE. AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT WHAT DISTRICT D DID, WE BOUGHT SOUND METERS TO ASSIST THE POLICE OFFICERS. WE BOUGHT 10 SOUND METERS FOR THE SOUTHEAST AND 10 SOUND METERS FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL SO THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE STATION TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THE DECIBELS, BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU NEED SOME, SOME DATA TO PRESENT. I'VE ALSO, UH, TALKED TO THE MUNICIPAL COURTS. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN LOOK AT HAVING THESE HEARINGS IN THE EVENING. THESE INFRACTIONS ARE GOING ON IN THE EVENING AND WHAT IS HAPPENING, THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO WORK IN THE EVENINGS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY PAST THEIR SHIFTS AND TO SHOW UP IN COURT. THAT'S A PROBLEM. IF IT'S GOING ON AT NIGHT AND WE HAVE NIGHT COURT, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE, UH, THE THING TO DO TO HELP US TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE. AND SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT NOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS WHEN YOU ARE SIGHTED WITH THESE INFRACTIONS. AND SO, UM, THE RECENT CHANGES IN OUR NOISE ORDINANCE REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS OF OUR RESIDENTS. THESE MEASURES AREN'T AGAINST BUSINESSES, BUT PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS REPRESENTATIVES, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE RULES SET FORTH ARE ABIDED BY, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING HEARD AND THAT WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD. BUT IT IS NEW. BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR AND OTHERS, ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT YOU BEING ABLE TO HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND SO, AS I REFLECT UPON THE RECENT INJUNCTION AGAINST EL BLATO, AND I ALSO THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING FORWARD AND WORKING WITH US, I'M REMINDED THAT THESE MEASURES AREN'T PUNITIVE BUT CORRECTIVE. IT'S A CALL FOR ESTABLISHMENTS TO INTROSPECT, [00:15:01] TO COLLABORATE, AND TO FIND WAYS HARMONIOUSLY WITH OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES. I'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN OLIVE BRANCH TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. LET'S WORK TOGETHER. LET'S FIND A MIDDLE GROUND WHERE ENTERTAINMENT DOESN'T IMPEDE THE RIGHTS OF OUR RESIDENTS. LET'S DEMONSTRATE THAT HOUSTON ISN'T JUST A GREAT CITY OF GREAT BUSINESSES, BUT A CITY OF UNDERSTANDING, COLLABORATION, AND MUTUAL RESPECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANY. SO THIS CAME INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER, RIGHT NOW IT'S ALMOST SEPTEMBER AGAIN. SO WITH ALL THE CITATIONS, WHY DID IT TAKE A YEAR TO GET TO THIS? IT TAKES A WHILE. AND THIS WAS NEW. THIS, THIS NEW ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS WAS NEW, SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ALL THE DATA IN PLACE. AND IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST CITATIONS. IT'S NOT JUST COMPLAINTS FROM NEIGHBORS. IT'S NOT JUST HPD, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF FACTORS THAT THEY, IT JUST TOOK A WHILE TO COMPILE ALL THAT DATA TO, WE'VE ACTUALLY, THIS WAS OUR SECOND ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING. WE HAD ONE OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING, UM, WITH ANOTHER, UH, BAR THAT CAME TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING, OFFERED A SOUND IMPACT PLAN. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT BAR TO, TO, UH, TO MAKE THE, THE MODIFICATIONS TO THAT BAR. SO, SO THEY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET THEIR PER POSSIBLY NOT GET THEIR PERMIT REVOKED BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE SOUND IMPACT PLAN WITH THE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING THAT WE HAD WITH EL PALATO. THE, UH, THE GROUP DID NOT SHOW. SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO OFFER A PLAN. SO THIS WAS KIND OF THE NEXT STEP. AND THEN IF THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW WHAT WAS A RULE FOR A YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW NOW THAT SHE'S GOT THE LEGAL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'LL GO BACK TO COURT NOW THAT IT'S BEEN A YEAR, YOU'RE FINALLY ABLE TO USE THE TEETH THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS ORDINANCE. HOW DOES, HOW DOES THAT FEEL PERSONALLY, SINCE YOU CHAMPIONED THIS WHOLE THING? IT FEELS REALLY GOOD, . I MEAN, IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. WE ARE, WE ARE REALLY FRUSTRATED, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO WORK ON AN ORDINANCE FOR 18 PLUS MONTHS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PUT IT IN PLACE AND THINGS GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER RIGHT AFTER WE ANNOUNCED THE ORDINANCE. WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN SEPT ON SEPTEMBER 6TH LAST YEAR. AND, AND THINGS GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT THEN THEY KIND OF WENT BACK. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO CITY LEGAL AND TO HPD FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND JUST KEEPING THE CITATIONS GOING. AND REALLY, THIS IS KIND OF A NEW THING FOR, FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ON. AND, AND THEY DID IT. AND THAT'S THE ONLY, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE, THE, THE ONLY, OUR ONLY RECOURSE IF, IF WE'VE TAKEN AWAY THE PERMIT AND YOUR ABILITY TO PLAY LOUD, LATE NIGHT SOUND IF YOU'RE STILL DOING IT, ARE ONLY, ARE ONLY OTHER RECOURSES TO GO TO COURT. SO I, I'M, I'M GRATEFUL TO THE JUDGE AND TO, AND TO, TO, UH, DISTRICT ONE FOR AGREEING TO THIS TEMPORARY INJUNCTION. CAN I SAY SOMETHING? SURE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE CITY THAT HONESTLY ORDINANCES SUCH EXIST SOMETIMES ARE NOT, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE STRETCHED WIDE, BUT WE WERE ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. AGAIN, THIS IS WHY COURT NEEDS TO BE AT NIGHT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT SOME CASES WERE TAKEN TO COURT AND BECAUSE THE OFFICER DIDN'T SHOW UP, THEY WERE THROWN OUT. AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE WORKED A FULL SHIFT AND THESE ARE NOT JUST EASY JOBS, THEN WHEN YOUR SHIFT IS OVER, THEN OF COURSE YOU'RE VERY TIRED AS ANY OF US WOULD BE. SO THE HUMAN ELEMENT IS CERTAINLY THERE. AND SO THAT IS WHY I HAVE ASKED THE MUNICIPAL COURTS TO LOOK AT THAT, UH, SO THAT WE COULD HELP THE POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE CLUB SO THAT WE COULD COME TO AN AGREEMENT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH THE CITATIONS. AND SO THE TIME HAS IT HAS TAKEN IS IN ALL HONESTY, BECAUSE WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT IT'S ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, CITATIONS AND WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US AND SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO MAKE THIS A MUCH BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE OUR CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHAVA AND TO, TO WHAT SHE IS REFERRING AS THE ACTUAL MUNICIPAL COURT CITATION PROCESS, WHICH WAS QUITE LENGTHY AND WHICH IS WHY WE INSTITUTED THAT, UH, ENHANCED ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING. WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL HUNDREDS OF CITATIONS HAVE GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM ANYMORE. THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST CHANGE IN MY OPINION. WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THOSE WHAT CAN BE YEARS TO GET ALL THE WITNESSES THERE AND EVERYBODY CAN JUST KEEP PUSHING THE CITATIONS OUT. NOW WE HAVE THIS ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING, UM, WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE TWICE SO FAR ON REPEAT VIOLATORS TO, TO BRING THE BAR IN BEFORE WE HAVE TO WAIT ON [00:20:01] ALL THAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? CAN YOU SAY ANYTHING IN SPANISH? OOH, I WISH COMMANDER GUZMAN CAN, CAN YOU? I DON'T KNOW. PROBABLY NOT. NO, BUT I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD TOO. OKAY. GOOD JOB ALL EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.