City wants to turn down late-night patio noise

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This article was published 06/11/2017 (2911 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CITY hall is targeting licensed patio operators who are bad neighbours.

A council committee Monday ordered a review of Winnipeg restaurants, clubs, microbreweries and other “drinking establishments” that play amplified music on outdoor patios late into the night.

Coun. Mike Pagtakhan, chairman of the protection, community services and parks committee, said there are some patio operators disrespecting people who live nearby.

Pagtakhan (Point Douglas) said the concern is not people enjoying themselves on licensed patios, but operators who play music too loud.

“What’s at issue here is loud, amplified music that plays at unreasonable hours on a weeknight,” Pagtakhan told reporters after the meeting. “I’ve had complaints, several over the last few years, about loud music playing on a Tuesday night, a Monday night past 12:30 a.m… To me, that seems to be a problem. This is trying to find a reasonable balance.”

Pagtakhan said he thinks the city should impose time limits for patio operators — perhaps cutting off amplified music Sunday to Thursday at 11 p.m. and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

“We want to make sure these patios are operating in a fashion that doesn’t have an adverse impact on surrounding residential (areas),” he said.

Pagtakhan said he expects the administrative review will examine areas in the city where outdoor patios are popular, including downtown, the Exchange District, Academy Road, Corydon Avenue, Main Street, McPhillips Street and Pembina Highway.

The administration was given 120 days to complete the review, which would include development of enforcement measures.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca