news Council Returns to ‘Normal’
Zoom Attendance Canceled; Residents Refute Noise Complaints In their second meeting back at Gulfport City Hall on May 18, council saw a return to pre-COVID days as the majority of attendees went without masks for the first time since in-person meetings resumed late last year. Council punctuated this change with a 3-2 vote to end Zoom as a means of virtually attending the meeting, before discussing budget issues for the upcoming year and continuing the ongoing debate over the Village Courtyard noise complaints.
NORTH END TAPHOUSE
By Ryan McGahan
Residents Come Out in Support of the North End Taphouse After nearly two months of public back and forth between the owners of the North End Taphouse and local residents complaining about the noise caused by performers there, a half-dozen local residents came to speak in favor of the Taphouse during this week’s public comment. “Except for Cinco de Mayo, which obviously is an exception, I’ve never heard any music from the North End Taphouse in my house, and honestly, I think that was Sea Dogs’ event that I heard inside,” said David Hand, who lives near both establishments. “I can hear them outside, but whenever I go inside and shut my doors, it’s perfectly fine.” This sentiment was echoed by several other residents, like Lindsey Miller, who lives caddy-corner to the Taphouse. “I do notice that some of my neighbors have some of their windows open more often than I do; maybe they’re hearing the music a little bit louder because of that, but I wouldn’t say that it’s a disturbance,” Miller said. Kelly Wright and Houston Gilbreath, co-owners of the Taphouse, also spoke during the meeting, with Wright explaining that she had spoken with many of the local neighbors, and that all were in favor of a
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revision of the local noise ordinance. and the experience of our guests,” She also presented a document Gibreath said. with 200 signatures supporting that Joe Culbertson, owner of the Vilrevision. lage Courtyard where the Taphouse Gilbreath asked for an increase operates, echoed this last point spein the decibel limit outlined in the cifically, claiming complainants had noise ordinance, and spoke about “weaponized the city ordinance” the financial burdens the Taphouse for music they don’t enjoy, but that had taken on “these same individto control the will also call the “The main complainants uals noise, includTaphouse and request ing not book- have shown no willing- that the same music ing acts that ness to meet with us to be turned up if they were too loud discuss if these mea- like a certain genre.” – “despite their At the last meetsures would be suit- immense poping on May 4, Counularity and the able… It is our belief that cilmember Christine complaints are Brown requested, and revenue it gen- these erates for us” less about the noise level council approved, a – ending music on the and more about musical moratorium at 10 p.m., and noise ordinance so even talking preferences...” she could try to set with acoustic up a meeting between engineers about possibly purchasthe two sides to negotiate a soluing “acoustic dampening materials.” tion. After public comment, Brown “The main complainants have reported that the complainant resshown no willingness to meet with ident declined the offer to meet, but us to discuss if these measures said Brown felt “positive about the would be suitable… It is our belief work that the business and property that these complaints are less about owners are doing.” the noise level and more about mu Mayor Sam Henderson agreed, sical preferences, and they are usstating that this issue was particing city ordinances… as a means to ularly personal for him since he’s impose their will upon our business performed at the Taphouse’s stage,
theGabber.com | May 27, 2021 - June 2, 2021
