I’m gonna have to side on the Montauk Chamber of Commerce on this one, the new “Entertainment Permit” is freaking ridiculous. Business owners have to get a permit to play music off of an iPod now? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I just got an e-mail from the Montauk Chamber of Commerce forwarded to me and I got pretty angry. Let’s hope that they can keep this permit from happening. Below is the e-mail.
Subject: CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL MEMBERS – PUBLIC HEARING AT TOWN HALL TOMORROW 7 PM
We are asking all Chamber members to please attend the public hearing at East Hampton Town Hall on Thursday, May 3rd at 7pm. The Board will take public comment regarding proposed legislation creating a new Entertainment Permit that all businesses providing entertainment will have to obtain. (Entertainment, according to the code definition can be something as simple as playing background music on an iPod) This permit will, among other things, limit the number of people that can gather outdoors on your property! This will replace the current Music Permit. Please read the attached proposed law and show up to oppose it on Thursday.
We are strongly opposed to the proposed Entertainment Permit.
Businesses don’t need another legislative obstacle.
There are enough good laws on the books already to control our businesses.
Our survival depends on summer business and summer patrons who want to be outside.
The code will be impossible to enforce.
It puts too much power in the hands of one person, the Police Chief.
We need businesses to stand up and be counted at this hearing!
Laraine Creegan, Executive Director
Montauk Chamber of Commerce
631-668-2355
Obviously the chamber just doesn’t get promoting tourism in Montauk! As a resident of Montauk who lives downtown, I am usually awakened every nite in the summer due to the excessive noise coming from local bars and people standing outside making noise, urinating, whatever!! I have called the police on numerous occasions, especially during the lovely MUSIC FOR MONTAUK crap when the infamous The Point restaurant had live music playing EXTREMELY LOUD at 3 – 4am with their doors wide open!! Now if I as a resident am extremely harassed and agitated by the excessive noise and partying in this town, surely the tourists who stay at the motels in town are FED UP AS WELL – this is a good way to chase decent tourists away – I certainly would never spend the outrageous amounts on a hotel only to be kept awake all night by drunkards!! I would never come back! As far as I know, there has always been a law on the books regarding entertainment permits for live music – as usual the town has its head up its ass using Surf Lodge as a reason for this new law, because they could have had Surf Lodge shut down long ago by the cops and State Liquor Authority for allowing patrons to drink in public and throw their empty cups all over the street – There are litter laws here i think – they should have been closed for littering on a daily basis and for safety reasons allowing patrons to be drunk as skunks outside with their drinks so they can wobble all over the road!!! Also, the liquor authority will take away their license for allowing this dangerous situation and also for overserving patrons!! Look at other tourist towns and see how it is done, how they prosper and make their towns a welcome place for rest and relaxation which is what most tourists want!! Sorry, we can’t just pander to the drunks and teenagers who want to come here and destroy our town!!