Councilman Butler, Put-In-Bay, and the People of Owego
Anyone who has kept even a casual eye on the police blotter knows Lakewood’s bar scene is a regular source of upset for nearby neighbors. Excessive noise, public urination, criminal damaging, and disorderly conduct are among the routine complaints.
One would reasonably assume that city officials closely monitor complaints and maintain regular communication with both bar owners and residents in order to avoid problem situations.
After watching today’s Architectural Board of Review meeting, it seems as though Councilperson Kevin Butler (Ward 1) has been lax in his responsibilities.
The owner of Put-In-Bay Lakewood, the bar and bowling alley located at 18206 Detroit Ave., appeared before the board seeking approval for an outdoor dining design. The plans he submitted called for a front sidewalk dining area with a 35-person capacity.
Things started out calmly at first. One board member objected to the flat railing tops around the dining area due to the concern patrons would use it as a beverage holder. The bar owner and his designer, who was also present, seemed amenable to using round railings instead.
The mood in the room took a turbulent twist when the board solicited public comment on the design plan.
Maureen Pergola, of 1423 Owego, submitted a letter she co-authored with her husband Victor, who was seated in the audience, outlining the problems, destruction, and noise the bar has brought to the neighborhood. She told of an incident last weekend where the late-night hour-long shrieking noise from Put-In-Bay made her feel like she was in the middle of a girls party. “Sorry guys,” she said to the Put-In-Bay representatives, “it just doesn’t work in a neighborhood.”
Joe Halko, a 40-year resident of 1435 Owego, expressed displeasure with the problems associated with the bar. In his opinion, Lakewood has all of a sudden become the watering hole for the Westside of Cleveland. “I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said.
Councilperson Butler spoke and reminded everyone the board is only responsible for approving the design of the outdoor dining plan. They don’t have any say-so in issuing an outdoor dining permit; that’s the responsibility of the Planning Commission.
He provided the board with a print-out of police calls to the business over the course of the last year. Eight of the 19 calls were for noise complaints. Councilperson Butler spoke of the responsibility of a business to balance its needs with the needs of the neighborhood. “I don’t believe this particular establishment has achieved that balance,” he said.
Councilperson Butler also attacked the Put-In-Bay owner for not calling or acknowledging Lakewood Alive’s request to contribute money for last year’s West End police patrol.
Rhiannon Blahnik, of 1428 Owego, submitted photographs depicting a post-party debris mess outside of the bar. She accused Put-In-Bay of overserving its patrons and noted how the physical outlay of the building tends to funnel noise directly down her street.
Another angry Owego resident stood at the microphone and expressed unhappiness about the constant loud late night noise. He stopped calling the police to complain because he felt they were no longer taking the complaints seriously.
The bar owner, who stood about three feet away from the podium while people were unloading their grievances about his business, seemed taken aback. “I feel horrible about [the complaints],” he said.
“I had no idea about the police [patrol] thing,” he said, and insisted it never came across his desk.
When he claimed he kept the windows and doors of the bar closed to minimize noise issues, a roar of disapproval erupted from the audience. They yelled, “No, you don’t!”
The Owego resident who said he no longer called to make noise complaints got up and walked to the microphone again. He was even angrier than before. Anyone who has lost sleep because of a bar ruckus could relate. He yelled at the owner, disputing his claim and sat back down.
West Clifton resident Richard Sicha, who was at the meeting for another matter, joined the fray. He questioned where the smokers, who usually stood outside on the sidewalk, would go if the outdoor dining area was there instead.
Councilperson Butler approached the microphone one last time. He suggested Put-In-Bay hold off on their outdoor dining efforts for a year and have a dialogue with the neighbors to straighten things out.
The board denied Put-In-Bay’s outdoor dining design submission. The board representative emphasized the rejection was not due to neighbors’ complaints, but because the design would have “a negative impact on Detroit.”
The bar owner was clearly displeased by the verdict. He said the down economy was affecting his business, and without the increased food revenue that outdoor dining would provide, the business might not last another year. Several spectators muttered, “Good.”
After the decision was rendered, the Owego crowd emptied into the hallway. One person could be heard loudly saying, “Those doors aren’t closed. That’s bullshit. Bullshit!”
There’s no doubt the people of Owego deserve better treatment than they have been receiving. The question is, why were things allowed to get to the point where there was a room of angry residents yelling at a bar owner? That’s not acceptable.
It’s the councilperson’s responsibility to be proactive and moderate the inevitable friction between the bars and the neighborhood. Being proactive means paying close attention to the police activity log, reading police reports, maintaining regular communication with residents and business owners, and visiting the bar at 2 a.m. to see what the heck is going on.
Being reactive and waiting for resident complaints to roll in is lazy and compounds the problem. It’s time for Butler to stop being lazy, and show more consideration to the people who elected him to office.
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