Last night Allentown city council decreed that the noise complaints against the Maingate were actually racially based against the changing demographics in the city. That distorted logic played well with the hundred or so supporters that the Maingate owner brought with him. Candida Affa testified that her gay bar had experienced the same intolerance years ago.
Residents of St. George, 18th, Liberty and Allen Streets might be surprised to learn that hardly anybody will be adversely effected by the Noise Exemption District. These are the invisible people who conduct neighborhood cleanups and hold street fairs on 19th Street. There was no polling of the residents, and some only found out about the proposal yesterday. Many others do not yet even know that City Hall just arbitrarily compromised the quality of their lives.
Conspicuously missing from the contorted map of the new district is the Wert's Cafe complex. Although Police Chief Granitz stated that he will abide by council's decision, his concerns about equal enforcement of law were apparent.
Allentown doesn't belong in the bar business, especially choosing winners and losers. It's always interesting and disappointing to see the new council members trade their ideals for a seat on that dais.
And what is city council going to do to compensate the homeowners when they go to sell their homes and it has dropped in value because of their narrow minded and unjust way they went about passing this in to law ?? Are they going to buy the properties at the value the homeowner was supposed to get ??
ReplyDeleteThere were shootings and noise complaints at the Maingate, these are the same criteria that the city uses for nuisance bars. Because the Maingate claims that they cannot maintain their profitability without the Noise Exemption, council throws the neighbors under the bus. Sad days for Allentown with this council steeped in cronyism.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, City Council appears "powerless" to control what happens around The View afterhours club at 11th & Hamilton.
DeleteThe entire discussion at City Council meeting last night was a tremendous waste of time. To begin with the complaints were investigated by the LCE which then cited the Maingate. The racial discussion was brought up by members of City Council so this issue would make the headlines. Nothing is further from the truth. Mr. Germano was coached to bring patrons of color to this meeting to support the position that this is a racial issue.
ReplyDeleteMr. Germano must realize that this is far from a done deal. The LCE issues his liquor license, set the rules to keep it, & are the only ones that can suspend/revoke it. Allentown has no official standing in this process. The residents of the area did not waste their time attending last night's meeting for a "feel good" proposal. Once the petition is received & the LCE schedules a hearing I believe the residents will attend because they will get affair hearing. With 16 noise violation citations & 4 active investigations, this hearing should not occur until the investigations & citations are all adjudicated.
Mike, as you stated yesterday this entire thing stinks of cronyism. There are a number of conflicts of interests with the proposal of this district. It favors establishments frequented & supportive of Mayor O'Connell. It was originally brought up by then City Council president Roger MacLean, who is involved with the Fairgrounds due to his wife's business. It is another form of "spot zoning", which is illegal and has been denied in the courts many times.
I will attend the LCE hearing when it occurs to support the above statements & the residents of the area that just had their rights trampled.
Roger's significant other business is based across liberty street from the main gate. You all need to know the stories.
DeletePathfinder, I hope that you do show up for the LCE hearings, but I'm not sure that the "opposition" will. I know several vested interests in that neighborhood that were too intimidated to attend and express their feelings last night. Although I spoke out last night, the affected will have to speak out for themselves at the LCE hearing.
ReplyDeleteI was at the council meeting last night & heard your presentation. I am sure Councilman Ed Zucal will also be at the LCE hearing.
DeleteI left before the actual vote. I assumed that Zucal would vote against it, but apparently he joined the others and voted yes....that is disappointing.
DeleteHe said that since it would only to request the LCE hearing he would vote for it. Ed is waiting for that venue.
DeleteI understand that it is awkward to vote "no" when the chamber is packed with supporters who believe that their music is being victimized by racism. Allentown doesn't belong in the bar business, especially choosing winners and losers. Daryl Hendricks speech about the Maingate being part of Allentown's history was a sad excuse for cronyism. The Theater district doesn't need noise exemptions. The Civic Theater doesn't need noise exemptions.. Glenn Granitz said that his department is already maxed out. Remain disappointed that Zucal didn't hold his ground.
DeleteWasn't Don Ringer Mayor O'Connell's biggest supporter ?
ReplyDeleteDo not be timid. When any City Department has a public "hearing" or "meeting", it is in the best interests of neighbors and other businesses to show up. I've seen zoning issues approved because no one was at the meeting to object. Stand up. Speak up. Be counted.
ReplyDeleteThe indifference card is just getting old in America today as the real portion of the population that still suffers the injustice the most never makes it to the media. Unless there is some sort of federal monies being given out for management to mismanaged and siphon it to some other area.
ReplyDeleteThe RACE CARD, now we can have the outlaws racing year round around the track at the fairgrounds again if this passes the taste test.