Live Entertainment Bill ............
From Fells Point Community Org. ( FPCO )
The following message if from our neighboring community association in Fells Point. As you know I have been building Fells Prospect's relationship with our fellow community associations. We have to remember we are a part of a great Fells Point community. The following message is about the Live Entertainment bill. This has evolved into a bad bill. Councilman Kraft is going to vote against it.
However, we also need to do more to get other councilmen to vote against this bill. I agree with FPCO that "Conditional Use" should never be a part of the bill. That means it will permanently stay with an address. Look at the troubles we have with Chubbies and Adult Entertainment. This also mean bars like Butt's and Betty's, Brewster's, Club Honeys and others can all apply and receive Live Entertainment licenses. This does not mean that all of the bars mentioned in this letter are problems but to its to show the scope of this Bill. We have over 120 bars from Central Ave to Patterson Park Ave. I have created a easy list you can copy and send your email at the end of this first message.
THIS HAS EVOLVED INTO A BAD BILL !
Please read the below message from FPCO.............
Here we go again. The Committee votes on this bill have been postponed. My last email asked you to contact the Mayor and ask her not to sign this bill. Now I am asking you to also contact all of the Committee members and ask that they vote against this bill. Site whatever reasons are important to you.
The bill will be voted on by the following two committees on before being presented to the entire Council; Jim (james.kraft@Baltimore.gov - office:410-396-4821) is on both committees and is chairing the process.
Judiciary and Legislative Investigation :
Robert Curran (robert.curran@baltimorecity.gov) prefers phone calls 410-396-4812
Mary Pat Clarke(marypat.clarke@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4814)
Rikki Spector(rochelle.spector@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4819)
Agnes Welch(agnes.welch@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4815)
Land Use:
Ed Reisinger (edward.reisinger@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4822) Can't vote--conflict of interst
Bill Cole (william.cole@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-4816)
Belinda Conaway (belinda.conaway@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-48100)
Sharon Green Middleton (sharon.middleton@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-4832)
Jack Young (bernard.young@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-4811)
Rikki Spector (rochelle.spector@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-4819)
The Mayor's email address is : mayor@baltimorecity.gov -- 410-396-3835
I appreciate all that you can do to make it abundantly clear to the City Council and Mayor that this bill is a very bad idea, especially for neighborhoods like ours. It should NEVER be handled as a zoning "Conditional Use" matter, since that permanently stays with that address. Significant changes need to be made before this bill could be seen as a viable bill for the residents of Baltimore City. Let's go back to the drawing board and start over.
Please ask everyone that you know who lives in the City to join our efforts to prevent this bill from being passed. The Transform Baltimore rezoning process should be completed first so all communities have more say about where they want Live Entertainment to be allowed in their neighborhoods. That process has already been completed in Southeast Baltimore and the areas designated for Live Entertainment should be left as they are. Make your voice be heard on this important issue which could have a significant impact on the quality of your life.
Thank you very much!
Victor Corbin
President
Fells Prospect Community Association
Copy Here
robert.curran@baltimorecity.gov; james.kraft@baltimorecity.gov; marypat.clarke@baltimorecity.gov; rochelle.spector@baltimorecity.gov; agnes.welch@baltimorecity.gov; edward.reisinger@baltimorecity.gov; william.cole@baltimorecity.gov; belinda.conaway@baltimorecity.gov; sharon.middleton@baltimorecity.gov; bernard.young@baltimorecity.gov; mayor@baltimorecity.gov
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As you are aware, I have chaired the joint committee hearings on the proposed live entertainment legislation. Approximately 100 witnesses testified over approximately 15 hours. I was present for all of this. The bill that is now before the Council has changed dramatically from the bill that was introduced. While I recognize that there is a need to address the issue of live entertainment in the City, I was not a sponsor of the original legislation.
The bill presently before the Council is a simple zoning bill that would allow for live entertainment as a conditional use for taverns and restaurants in B-1 and B-2 zoning districts. It appears that live entertainment may also be allowed in some properties that are presently classified as non-conforming uses. All of this is unacceptable to me.
I am including a link so that you may read the most recent version of the bill. I know that most of this correspondence addresses aspects of the Zoning Code with which you may or may not be familiar. The important issue is that the devil is in the details, and those details are extremely worrisome to me.
In short, I believe that this live entertainment bill is a bad bill for not only the people of southeast Baltimore, but for the entire City. I am opposed to it and will vote against it.
Another public hearing on this bill is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 5pm in City Hall. Please bring your friends and neighbors to speak out against this legislation.
Sincerely,
Jim Kraft
Letter from Councilman Kraft
See Current Live Entertainment Bill
