Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council approved another public address permit just prior to the Oregon Jamboree, allowing amplified music until 1 a.m. during the Friday and Saturday of Oregon Jamboree weekend.
With the second permit this year, the council asked City Manager Craig Martin to find out how other cities have handled similar requests.
This permit was for Eric Sheets to operate a beer garden off Main Street in the Sweet Home Motors car lot, just west of 23rd Avenue. The property is located north of Linn Haven apartments. Businesses are to the east and west, while a small trailer park is to the north across Main Street.
Sheets had requested that the permit expire at 2 a.m.
Two weeks earlier, the council approved a request for the Waterhole Tavern for a live band, Shades of Gray, to play outside. Neighbors told the council they opposed the permit. The council set a 1 a.m. expiration, while the establishment had requested 2 a.m. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission turned down the Waterhole’s request for an outside beer garden, and the band had to play inside.
Last year, the council approved the same terms for a permit at the Frontier, but the OLCC denied that request as well.
Previous to these requests, the police chief has approved most PA permits, but he limits them to midnight by default.
Sheets’ request was different from the Waterhole request, he told the council. The event would have no DJ or live band. It would just be an iPod connected to a stereo. The speakers would be aimed at the street.
Linn Haven also was buffered by three buildings and a hedge, he said. He planned to play a shuffled list of 1960s and 1970s music.
“It’s not going to be a blaring thing,” Sheets said, and it would give people a place to go after the Jamboree.
The event, operated by the Wooden Nickel Pub of Sublimity, which has 25 years of experience, was to be fully staffed with experienced security personnel, Sheets said. “It’s not going to be drunken people spewing out into the streets. I just want to assure them that I’ll run it really tight.”
Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services, which operates Linn Haven, surveyed the residents, who are mostly elderly and disabled. Twelve opposed the permit, while four approved or did not care and one approved as long as it ended at midnight.
One resident said, “I think this is awesome. One or two nights won’t hurt no one.”
While another said, “There are senior citizens ages over 70-90 years who need their sleep,” and another said, “The noise from the Jamboree is loud enough from 18th street. I don’t want it any closer.”
Another resident suggested holding it in the Sweet Home Police Department parking lot.
The council approved the request 4-0.
Present were councilors Mary-beth Angulo, Greg Mahler, Mike Hall and Mayor Craig Fentiman. Scott McKee Jr., Ron Rodgers and Jim Gourley were absent.
With a request last year and two this year, Fentiman said it was probably time for the council to look at what other cities have done with similar situations.
“I think we do need to set up parameters and guidelines about how we’re going to issue these things,” Fentiman said.
During the Jamboree, neighbors complained three times about the Wooden Nickel beer garden, once at 1:03 a.m. Saturday. The second complaint came at 1:33 a.m. Officers responded and contacted the event managers, warning them a second time.
A third call came at 1:45 a.m. All sound amplification was turned off at the officer’s order. The managers were warned that a citation would be issued if there were issues the following night. The Police Department received no complaints the second night.
Three callers complained about loud music playing past the time allowable on the permit. With the band inside, no permit was needed, and the officers took no action.
The council was scheduled to consider another PA permit Tuesday night for the Sweet Home Choppers Fireworks Poke Run for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.