| The Playa Muse Clausurado |
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| Tuesday, 01 June 2004 | |
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The Playa Muse - Bringing You a Bit of the Pulse of Playa with some of the most asked questions and revealing answers Yikes, what is happening with Playa? Streets are torn up, store fronts have “Clausurado” pasted all over them – New drainage, underground telephone, electricity and cable and beautiful streets are being laid. What’s going on? What’s happening to Playa – so many stores are “Clausurado”? Relax, all. Playa is thriving. Those “Clausurado” are pasted all over town, on walls and store fronts, because City Hall is finally enforcing the Signage regulation! In this case, the offending signs may be too big, too large, or just not have required permit and license. Did the business owners know this was about to occur? Well, sort of, in Mexican minute sense, but they did know for years it was required to have a sign permit. No permit, big fine and an ugly,big “Clausurado” sign pasted on your front.
Why is that fortress looking building on 4th street across from AJUA? Well, now, that is a good one. It was the shopping center, formerly known as Ciudadela not Prince. Opened in May 2001, closed in November 2001. It has 80 little shops and restaurant areas in it and is built as if you are wandering down a mountain road. For a mere $5.6 million dollars, as listed on the internet, you can buy it too. What is the huge cracked area in front of the “Fortress formerly known as Ciudadela”? Those, my friends, are doors! Opening from the street level, your prime rental space, they hold the electric transformer for the building. Behind them is the manager’s office, the assistant’s office, and to the right are the bathrooms, all in a row. What’s the story on live music in Playa? Why does AJUA have a band behind glass doors? Why do club owners walk around with decibel meters in the hands? Well, who knows really what the true origin of the current noise regulation rules for Playa? Some say it started with the Small Hotel Association, some say from the Music Union since Mariachis and street musicians, who are members of the union, are exempt from the regs – but noise regs we do have, which is a good thing – but all of us know it is impacting Playa with its too uptight and selective interpretation. AJUA has its band behind glass doors, others like Pez Vela have dropped live music altogether, and they all “live in fear” that the Music Police will find them $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 pesos and close them down for 3 days, with no right of appeal or recourse – just the judgment of the guy doing his job -- on a sudden spike to 78 decibels because a sax hit a high note!
What are the regs? Open restaurants and club owners must must keep their music below 75 decibels all day and up to midnight, about the level of a good belly laugh, or they can be fined big time and “Clausurado” – there is that word again, however this time it literally means “Closed, shutting you down for 3 days and huge, big fines.” How are they enforced? Well, now that is an interesting question. With a decibel meter but with no credit for ambient street noise, a sudden laugh, or people just having a good time – and no recourse if a club owner receives a citation. Where do the complaints come from and are they justified? This all started because a couple of clubs were blasting their music until all hours of the night and that we certainly did not want this in Playa. Tourists and residents do need to sleep! Those fall into the category of “Justified complaints.” And, the others. Well, they seem to come from those who always think that “your business should be their business” or others who are on a mission to “gentrify Playa” to change the Playa atmosphere and life of old. Woe for all of us if they prevail. What would be fair? Now, what do I think is fair. . .well, my survey of club owners and music engineers feel that the level should be up to 80 decibels until midnight. At that level people can still have a conversation over the music and musicians can feel the rhythm. After midnight, it should go down to 75 decibels until 11 a.m. in the morning so all can sleep and enjoy! And, finally, how do I choose a restaurant from the thousands in Playa? Good questions. For taco stands and small local places, go to the ones that have lots of people. To ensure it is healthy and safe to eat in, you need a high turn over since most spots where locals hang out are still learning the basis of refrigeration. In the tourist zone - 5th Avenue and its side streets –. Here are a few of my rules of thumb:
Well, this is all from Playa Muse for now.
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