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MyspaceDespite the predictions of many, the 2010 West Beach Music Festival will go ahead, though not quite as planned. In a split 3-2 vote, the Parks and Recreation Commission granted a special events permit — that came with a few notable stipulations — to Twiin Productions Inc., to put on the three-day live music event September 24 – 26. Twiin Productions had originally been denied a permit by Parks and Recreation staff who cited a number of problems with the 2009 festival, but, after appealing the decision, the promoters were told by the agency’s commission at the end of a three-hour hearing that the event can happen.
This year — as opposed to the 13,000 people that swarmed the beach at the height of the event — a maximum of only 8,500 people may attend per day, said the commission. Additionally — compared to 2009 when live music was played from 3-10 p.m. on Friday, 12:30-10 p.m. on Saturday, and 12:30-8 p.m. on Sunday — the promoters will only be able to host performers from 4-10 p.m. on Friday, 12:30-10 p.m. on Saturday, and 12:30-7 p.m. on Sunday.
The commission also decreed that Twiin Productions — owned and run by twin brothers Jeremy and Joshua Pemberton — hire an acoustic consultant to deal with the noise issues that plagued the 2009 event. It was eventually decided that Grant Macgregor of Santa Barbara-based Luners Pro Sound & Lighting would be the man for the job. He promised that, with his expertise and access to cutting-edge sound technology, he could “direct sound like a light” in order to drastically cut back the noise bleed that could reportedly be heard as far away as Montecito and Summerland last year. “You know me, I’m always looking for work,” he told the commission.
The decision to put the festival back on — made despite pleas from a number of hotel owners and managers in the West Beach area who said that drunken hoards hurt business and upset their guests — brought raucous applause from dozens in attendance who packed City Hall’s chambers in support of the Pembertons and their event. The brothers had argued that the festival, rather than upsetting the city’s balance, instead brings in much-needed cash and jobs. Commissioner Ada Conner closed things out by stating, “We’re going out on a limb for you guys. Make it happen.” The twins, clearly ecstatic at the outcome, hugged one another and members of their entourage. “We are very appreciative,” they told The Independent. “We take every word to heart, and we won’t let them down.” The decision, however, can be appealed to the City Council. The window to do so lasts another eight days.
Wednesday night’s hearing began with a presentation by Parks and Recreation staff that spelled out, point by point, why the agency had denied the festival permit to begin with. The issues, written in a report released to the Pembertons and the commission (and articulated in a prior Independent article), centered mainly on the unprecedented number of noise complaints city police were forced to deal with, the safety issues that cropped up due to inadequate security provided by the promoters, and a perceived lack of professionalism on the part of the twins and their team. The decision to deny the permit, they said, wasn’t just to prevent another West Beach fest from happening, but was part of a larger game plan to rethink and restructure city ordinances that deal with large-scale events because clearly, they said, some things weren’t working.
During a debriefing in October of last year, staff said, they told the Pembertons as much. They purportedly stated that the 2009 event, the largest of its kind the city has ever seen, was so eye-opening — and not in a good way — that the department was probably going to have to head back to the drawing board, and that a 2010 West Beach Music Festival was unlikely.
The police’s perspective on the 2009 concert, offered by Sergeant Riley Harwood who coordinates cop coverage for city events, was one of deep concern. Citing the festival’s improperly managed beer garden — the gates were laid out wrong, he said, and officers ticketed more than two dozen underage youths for drinking and possessing fake IDs, including a few kids with 21+ wristbands who were working at the beer garden as Twiin Productions volunteers — Harwood made clear that the security crew hired by the Pembertons displayed what he considered a “failure to perform competently.” He also noted that on the weekend of the event, police logged 74 percent more citations than they had the previous weekend. Police Chief Cam Sanchez concurred, saying that while the festival was no doubt a fun time for those who attended, the lack of safety precautions was a huge concern. “The size of the event is simply too large,” he said. “At the end of the day, the rules are made and enforced by those that put on the event.”
Paul Wellman (file)
2009 West Beach Music Festival
It even took the promoters four tries, Harwood said, to hire a company whose members were properly certified, but even that team of 31 guys — the bare minimum to man the event — clearly wasn’t up to the task. While admitting that there wasn’t an inordinate amount of criminal incidents or arrests, Harwood stated that things could have been much worse, and that there existed a “high potential for violence or riot.” In fact, he went on, the police decided to extend the 2008 event’s curfew by 45 minutes one night, allowing the final act to finish up to keep the crowd content and riot-free. Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Rapp said something similar to The Independent on Tuesday about 2009: “Things had the potential to be a lot worse,” she said.
During his turn, John Bridley from the Waterfront Department called out the twins for a fake parking permit fiasco, saying the incident shattered his trust in them and their company, especially, he said, when the check that was written to his agency in compensation bounced. The fact that Twiin Productions staff would forge city documents with an official seal was simply unforgivable, he indicated.
During their turn to speak, the Pembertons expressed bewilderment at the staff report, saying that they felt the department’s tone now was completely different than it had been in October. They are and have been willing to listen to city staff, they said, to address concerns and rectify 2009’s issues for this year. They even went to a special events seminar in San Diego to learn and brush up on the proper procedural elements of putting on a big production. Concert sound expert Grant Macgregor also spoke briefly to the commission, asserting that with proper set redesign and placement of speakers — including a technical-talk-filled technique of piping bass through speakers so that it is more acutely directed — the festival’s sound could be kept well within compliance.
The Pembertons were incredulous of Nancy Rapp and her Parks and Recreation staff, accusing them of singling their production company out when issues the agency brought up — including profanities shouted by performers heard miles away — were nothing new to the city. The Santa Barbara County Bowl, they said, has had its fair share of similar problems, citing a Blink-182 concert during which the performers yelled to the crowd that Oprah was backstage and that, when she came out and crowd-surfed, everyone could “put their fingers inside of her.” “That was said with Santa Barbara High School less than a mile away,” they stated. One of the twins, who previously worked at the Bowl’s beer garden, said that was only one instance of performers going over the top at the Bowl, and that to target their event for similar infractions was unfair. They also cited a public screening of The Big Lebowski — famous for its liberal use of f-bombs — at the County Courthouse.
Paul Wellman
A packed attendance on Sunday had the line reaching almost to the pier
Taking issue with what they perceived as an attack on their credibility, the pair listed a number of events they had a part in successfully hosting, including Earth Day. They highlighted emails sent to them from city staff, commending the Pembertons themselves and their staff on a job well done. Calling the report more of a subjective tirade than an accurate reflection of 2009’s event, they said the report, “rarely focuses on real issues.” Instead, they went on, “an attack at the credibility of Twiin Productions’ management becomes the overwhelming theme of the document.” The Pembertons also criticized the numbers thrown around by Sgt. Harwood, saying that while city police may have isssued 74 percent more citations in 2009, authorities ratcheted up police presence by 600 percent from the weekend before, an unnecessary move they argued.
Articulating what they called “real solutions,” the two went down a list of changes they plan to make to the 2010 festival in hopes of avoiding similar issues. In order to provide easy access to themselves and their staff, they said, the team plans on installing a City Command Post where both city staffers and Twiin Productions representatives can be in “constant, direct access to organizers and decision makers.” This, they argued, would provide complete transparency for everyone involved and eliminate the miscommunications and fragmentations they admitted took place last year. They’ve also, they said, locked in a completely licensed and qualified security firm to staff the 2010 event.
With regard to the forged parking permits from last year, the twins were sheepish, but only to a point. “I am so sorry,” Jeremy said. “As the event organizer and manager, I must take responsibility.” The issue has been taken very seriously, he said, and won’t happen again. But, he went on, the counterfeiting happened for a reason: the West Beach Pedestrian Project, which blocked off entrance to the park, forced his staff to get creative in order to allow vendors and deliveries access. “People will make decisions for what’s best for the event,” he said. “We’re learning and moving forward.”
Paul Wellman
Closing Night of the West Beach Music Festival
In order to cut down on negative impacts to the neighborhood, the brothers additionally promised to establish a “West Beach Community Planning Committee composed of residents, business owners, and other stakeholders to assist in planning and addressing all concerns.” They also, they said, want to come up with a West Beach Residential & Hotel Traffic Plan as well as increase waste management. Lastly, the Pembertons stated, they hope to “coordinate with hotels and provide solutions for guest policies, based on solutions implemented in other cities.”
Switching to number-based arguments, the twins again pointed to what they felt was a lack of hard evidence in the Parks and Recreation report. “You cannot allow personal feelings to govern what is best for the city,” they said. The West Beach Music Festival, they argued, doesn’t take away from the community, but only serves to strengthen it. The twins claimed that the 2009 event provided more than 2,100 jobs to area residents and that the festival itself brings to the city an undeniable chunk of revenue. Just to publicize the thing, they said, cost $182,000, nearly half of which was spent within the county. Tourism, they argued, was also a factor. Of the 622 survey responses they got from 12,000-plus ticket-buyers, 65 percent traveled from outside the city, 48 percent traveled more than 50 miles, 44 percent stayed in town all three days, 16 percent stayed in Santa Barbara hotels, and 9 percent had never been to Santa Barbara before.
The Pembertons estimated that the festival has brought in more than $785,000 in local business purchases including more than $85,000 in marketing and media. They also argued that through hotel room reservations, the company directly contributes to the city’s transient occupancy tax (TOT) and sales tax. A $30,000 figure in hotel expenses at 12 percent TOT, they asserted, would mean $3,000 for the city’s General Fund as well as $600 to Creeks Restoration & Water Quality. “That’s money in the bank,” Jeremy said. The duo estimated they will probably have to pay $65,000 in cost-recovery fees to the city, and said that the $47,000 owed from last year has long since paid in full. In her report, Rapp took the two to task for lagging on their bills, saying it took multiple reminders for the city to finally be paid back. “This has never occurred with other events the City has worked with,” she wrote.
Paul Wellman
Night time at the West Beach Music Festival
The twins stated they also want to implement a $4 facility fee to be included in their ticket prices, the profit of which would similarly go directly to the city. While they gave numbers based on the assumption that 2010’s event would bring in around 12,000 attendees per day, a quick tweaking of the figures shows that they expect the facility fee to generate close to $100,000 total. To “rent” the beach for 10 days, which takes into consideration setup time, costs around $6,800. Already, according to the festival’s Web site, the Black Friday and Early Bird 3-Day passes have sold out.
The public comment portion of the evening saw both vehement support and opposition to the 2010 festival. Those in favor cited the concert’s celebration of art and culture and commended the pair for their dedication to the community. Magda Arroyo of the Boys and Girls Club praised the brothers for their willingness to bring in 30 young people from the organization to help work the event, saying some of the kids had never been to a concert or even the beach. A few of them even came up to speak, recounting what a great time they had.
Firefighter Tony Bugatti thanked the Pembertons for helping him organize a fundraiser on behalf of the Hoffmans, who were injured in the Jesusita Fire. Chamber of Commerce President Steve Cushman also spoke, saying the twins “mean well,” that the city needs concerts, and that the brothers make “significant contributions to the community.” Steven Meade, vice president of the city’s Solstice celebration, also had nothing but good things to say about the Pembertons and their company, explaining they were great to work with. Brett Leigh Dicks, a local music journalist, commended the brothers on featuring local acts, saying the event fostered an appreciation for area artists who might not normally receive they attention they deserve. Lastly, a nightclub owner told the commission they’d be crazy not the grant the permit, citing a dramatic spike in business over the weekend.
Paul Wellman (file)
West Beach Music Festival Sept. 19, 2009
On the other side of the fence, managers and owners of a number of hotels near West Beach — including the Eagle Inn, the Harbor View Inn, the Colonial Beach Inn, and the West Beach Inn — said the festival is anything but good for business. Likening the event guests who pour out of the beach every night during the festival to a “drunken mob,” the hoteliers said they were shocked by the amount of trampled bushes and vomit-covered sidewalks and cars they and their guests woke up to every morning last year. “The security issues are insane,” said Tony Romasanta of the Harbor View Inn, claiming that if something happened to a partier on his property, he’d be liable. The hoteliers told the commission that multiple disgruntled guests left over the course of the weekend, citing the intolerable noise and displeasure with inebriated passersby, and many of the guests who stayed asked for discounts.
Most disturbing, they said, was the lack of follow-up on the part of the Pembertons. Evidencing what seemed like a desire to work together, the twins, said the hotel representatives, would make promises they didn’t keep, then become unreachable after the festival was over when the hoteliers had serious gripes. That made it hard to trust them, they said, and tough to believe the promises made for this year.
While it initially appeared that the commission’s majority was leaning toward upholding the permit’s denial after first round questions and comments, individual commissioner’s statements of concern quickly gave way to nods of approval when festival supporters, as well as the brothers, started to speak. Commissioner Lesley Wiscomb and Chairperson Beebe Longstreet, however, stayed steadfast against granting the appeal, expressing skepticism that the Pembertons would be able to make the event happen while following the rules.
Acknowledging that city policy still had to be reworked — a process Parks & Rec’s Nancy Rapp admitted was on the back burner in the midst of budget cuts and department restructuring — that police still had to coordinate with Twiin Productions, and that there seemed to be more unanswered than answered questions, Longstreet stated, “We just can’t afford to practice again with that many people … I’m just not comfortable going forward with the event with the policies we have in place.” Longstreet also took to heart the positions of Rapp, Sgt. Harwood, and the waterfront’s Bridley, who all stood against a 2010 event. “I’ve got three department heads telling me this is a bad idea,” she said.
Paul Wellman (file)
2008 West Beach Music and Arts Festival
However, the other three commissioners — Scott Burns, Ada Conner, and Chris Casebeer — seemed to think that the Pembertons would be able to iron out all the details in the five months left before the event, and that they had a handle on what was expected. The reasoning behind their confidence, though, was not made explicitly clear. Earlier in the evening, Commissioner Burns (who himself floated the motion to approve) likened the twins to young entrepreneurs who had started a company that was now too big to for them handle, hinting they might want to bring in more seasoned managers to take the reins. The decision also came not long after Longstreet declared to the brothers, “I think you grew out of the place,” in reference to the swath of beach between Stearns Wharf and the harbor where the concert is held.
City Councilmember Das Williams, the day after the hearing, told The Independent that while he thinks the festival is a fine idea for the city, it needs to be conducted in a safe and professional manner and that serious issues need to be addressed. He also pointed to the fact that the event is reportedly a significant revenue-earner, saying that many in town want to save the jobs of police and firefighters during the current budget cuts — but don’t want to see higher taxes as a result — and that the festival might help do that. He also mentioned that while it isn’t typical for city councilmembers to consult with commissioners on an issue of this sort, it’s not prohibited. Rapp, after the hearing, was gracious in defeat. “There was a lot of public support, and the commission has the community’s wishes in mind,” she said.
As the hearing concluded and people rushed to the Pembertons for high-fives (while hotel representatives were accosted by a few in-the-face taunts by a festival supporter), Longstreet pointed her pen at the two and said, “If you get a sound complaint Friday, it better get figured out … If you get a sound complaint and you don’t turn it down, that’s it.”
Previous Month
Comments
What's next; floatopia on EastBeach.
DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2010 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don, I hope so.
SBLoc (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2010 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very cool.
A word of advice to the Twiins: now that you've allowed Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Rapp to publicly expose herself as as finger-wagging, righteous barrier to fun (rather than a cooperative partner to new modes of civic entertainment), you best watch your back!
You can bet Parks and Rec will be white-gloving, auditing, testing, inspecting, monitoring, and eye-balling the operation and events like never before, to justify closing you all down -- the human need to shout "I told you so" is too strong.
Good luck in this year's event.
And I hope Mr. DonMcDermott will be cast as the Reverend Shaw Moore character (John Lithgow) in the next local production of "Footloose."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqJyMa...
Chester_Arthur_Burnett (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2010 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amazing that the parks commissioners would overturn the staff's decision. The city is giving West Beach to the Twiins. Why? There's no benefit to the city. Yeah a few thousand people get to have a good time but there are many locations that are better suited for live amplified music. West Beach is not one of them - especially because there is no parking.
It's not surprising that Twiin got the place filled with supporters - they invited 10,000 people on facebook. The meeting was only announced to certain members of the community that had complained during last year's festival late last week and hardly had time to respond.
This is a gift to them from the city. One has to wonder what the commissioners get in return? If this decision stands - it won't be any different than last year. Their numbers were inflated so the real number of attendees is closer to this 8,500 number on the main day. Last year SBPD had to bring in extra officers to try to control the situation. Last year Friday was empty. yet obnoxiously loud. The Twiins didn't care about the policy about sound last year and ignored it - why trust them again? It makes no sense? you don't continue to offer a special part of our city up to fools who can't tell the truth or keep a promise.
taceohat (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2010 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Growing up in Santa Barbara, one of the most pressing issues I've seen is a lack of programs/events/entertainment that 10-18 year-olds ACTUALLY want to participate in. Yes, there are boys and girls clubs, Greek festivals, Sunday art walks, but many kids in this age group are not interested in feta cheese and expensive finger paintings. My mom used to say that this lack of user supported fun activities for youths led to gang problems and she just may have been correct. I think the WBMF is not only an event that gives youths something to do on hot summer days, there should be encouragement from the city and parks and rec to have more events like WBMF.
SBLoc (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2010 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's great to see due process play out properly for once. No matter what happens at WBMF this year you can be assured that there will be a renewed effort to shut it down, even if the stipulations are met. Likewise there will be complaints from festival goers, who will likely see a jump in ticket prices as the supply shrinks. Logistical issues will pop up and contingency plans will be scrutinized in the wake of the event. The good news is that it appears a foundation of compromise has been laid. Hopefully in the future that foundation can be built upon through the kind of quick, assertive cooperation that is needed to keep the best interests of the community (not the extremist viewpoints).
I have to say after reading some of the jabs at the Pembertons I'm a little miffed. You're upset that there was more support at the hearing because Twiin Productions invited 10,000 facebook fans? Maybe you should look into using online communities yourself to get your message out or advertise your business. You see, I've been best of friends with Josh and Jeremy for almost 10 years and I think that similar types of intergenerational stereotyping is being misconceived as unprofessionalism by some. I watched the festival with my family (including my daughter) from backstage last year and observed an incredibly high level of professionalism. I do SOX compliance audits for a living and I can tell you that the organization, policies and internal controls that Twiin Productions had set up rivaled that of some small public companies. This year I'm using my vacation time to come down from Sacramento early and help consult on the project to ensure compliance with the necessary policies. If Don McDermott wants to complain first thing Monday morning to Parks and Rec that he could hear reggae during his usual Sunday Sambo's brunch and it ruined his right to peace and quiet, so be it, but it won't be because the music was substantially louder than what is allowed under law, it will be because he's intolerant. My good friends are not unprofessional, they are the younger face of professionalism and entrepreneurship that is unusual and makes older generations cautious. It's perceptions like these that force me to wear a watch at work despite the fact that my cell phone tells me the time---because it's been proven that older generations (especially older baby boomers) subconsciously associate watches with punctuality and professionalism. But that doesn't mean a person without a watch is any less efficient a worker as one with a watch, does it?
UCSBCPA (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 1:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I owned a hotel I'd be grateful for the festival, despite some of the shenanigans and tomfoolery it creates. Just as the festival is learning from last year, I should too. After all, I know the demand for my hotel rooms is going to be sky high from September 24-26, so I should be doubling or tripling the prices of my rooms for that weekend right now---I know I'll still sell out. If damage is caused, charge the card left for incidentals. If people get too rowdy or violate the guest policy, kick them out. I don't see how the cons outweigh the pros for this group.
In fact, the only group here that doesn't see a definite net benefit are those locals that live directly across the street from the festival. They have to deal with the few bad seeds that party too hard and don't show private property the respect it deserves. Also, it gets impossible to find parking. I know how you feel---after college I lived in Newport in the heart of the Balboa Peninsula. Every summer weekend I would have switch to bicycle to get around because tourists would invade my beach and it pissed me off. They would cruise past my house blasting their massive sound systems all day long, which made it hard to study for my CPA. But on the bright side, I lived on the beach and I got to enjoy the location every day. And before you remind me that's why you paid such a high price for your house, let me counter---this festival is going to introduce thousands of young people to Santa Barbara that have never seen it before. Some are going to fall in love with Santa Barbara, just like I did the first time I visited. They are going to want to go to college in Santa Barbara and may eventually spend the rest of their life trying to figure out a way to afford to move back, like I am. The massive demand to live in such a perfect place is what drives property values up, which will make you happy. Not the most direct benefit, but hey, if you want to trade with me I'm all for it...
UCSBCPA (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 1:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well from a legal standpoint this decision needs to be owned by the City Council on appeal. It would be interesting to see how it plays out with "permissive" Das William liberals and those recently elected "taxed enough" freedom fighter conservatives as they joust and sell out yet another neighborhood; as long is it is not their own. This established and productive West Beach mixed-use neighborhood already contributes enough to the city's coffers without letting this production company cut it's teeth on, let alone endure meetings with the tweenies and their private and unaccountable security "firm" to mitigate their own reportedly bad behavior. How ridiculous to have to meet with these abusers, in your own neighborhood. And who are they going to have to hire; BlackWater.
Without viewing this 3 hour hearing and relying on the quote in this article from Steve Cushman, who desires more concerts; I'd suggest concerts be held in the newly refurbished and properly permitted Granada theater. There is plenty of parking in the Granada parking garage and we know that the businesses in the area could use a bubbling atmosphere. We didn't siphon off 50 million in tax write-offs for refurbishment or 20 million RDA dollars on a parking garage to leave empty so many surrounding storefronts. Perhaps this homage to Harriet Miller venue would not be appropriate for this type of people or crowd of course with all the excessive booze, vomit and potential for riot. Those activities, of course, are only appropriate in Santa Barbara's neighborhoods.
DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"They even went to a special events seminar down in San Diego to learn and brush up on the proper procedural elements of putting on a big production. "
Seriously? Shouldn't the people putting on this size of an event in SB be the ones putting on such a seminar.....not sitting in the crowd trying to learn as they go?
And for anyone who doubts the total lack of integrity with this production company, just look at this quote with respect to why they apparently forged parking permits: “People will make decisions for what’s best for the event,” he said. “We’re learning and moving forward.” Sounds like they really learned their lesson.....
I'm ashamed Park & Rec board allowed themselves to get hoodwinked into overriding the staff's recommendations. Its funny, but I'm picturing these two guys being counseled by JMike (the guy with the criminal record that ran for Mayor last year) on how to run a "successful" local company.
Again, is there any way we can have this concert put on by a real production company? If these guys stick around, expect more of this: "people rushed to the Pembertons for high-fives (while hotel representatives were accosted by a few in-the-face taunts by a festival supporter),.." Any chance the "festival supporter" is a CPA from Sacramento?
WilliamMunny (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a grouch.
I hate people who don't want others to have fun. Give it a rest.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Aye, another one!! That goes for both of you.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How can people assume that the festival brings in money? September is busy in Santa Barbara because it is beautiful weather and since the dollar has taken a dive - Europeans come in droves to spend time in SB and shop. Hotel managers last year said that they were booked the week after West Beach anyways. The bulk of the target population are 18-25 year olds and they certainly aren't booking hotels on the ocean. The ocean front hotels are more expensive. The venue provided convenient and cheap food inside the event and area restaurant managers said that they had no benefit from the festival. 20 year olds are not going to be dining at Chuck's Steakhouse or Eladio's in the middle of a festival.
Some people that like to have fun still think this location is a bad idea for the size and type of event. I am one of those. I was actually excited about the idea of the festival originally and I attended. That's when I saw all the major flaws from underage drinking, lack of security (no pat downs), noise violation, lack of parking - many citations - the need for extra police to come in - it was a public safety issue. They are lucky that there were no known major incidents. It's not about squashing everyone's right to a good time. But the city has a responsibility to protect its residents - both those attending and those that live nearby. There are other venues in town that the city and residents have spent a lot of time and money refurbishing and maintaining. There is the Arlington, Granada, Lobero, Marjorie Luke, Earl Warren and the SB Bowl for large concerts. Because of the lack of parking and proximity to houses and hotels, the West Beach area is more suited to events like the pro- volleyball tournament - not a three day festival that ends with Slightly Stoopid blaring on a Sunday night until after 10pm.
ps sbloc- not begrudging Twiin for their marketing - just saying that the city didn't announce the meeting until late last week so other people in the community didn't hear about it. A "public meeting announcement" post inside the city clerk's office isn't going to be seen by many. Public process is important and everyone should be included.
taceohat (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When this is appealed to City Council, already scheduled for 15th June, the deliberation quickly will focus on the money gained to the City General Fund. That is the political reality.
The Twiins are now offering per ticket sold a $4 facility fee (i.e., cash that supposedly the City gets).
Of course, this takes good auditing and accounting to verify the sales revenue and the numbers of tickets sold.
If they are offering $4 per ticket, will anyone on the City Council make a counter-offer for more, like $10 or $15 per ticket? All as a condition of approval for the entire event, meaning that votes by only 4 Councilmembers can entirely kill this event with all the risky investment lost by the Twiins, who will have no recourse because they have zero entitlement for an event on the public beach.
Assuming all the acoustic attenuation and mitigation really works, and no drunken riots ensue if or when the event gets shut down because of a noise violation, then the basic policy question for the City Council is how much total revenue gain to the City General Fund is enough revenue to justify the negative impacts of this event.
Yes, some revenue will happen with increased sales tax, hotel bed tax, etc., but the real bargaining variable seems to be "facility fee" that currently is offered at $4 per ticket.
Will the City Council make a counter-offer, and for how much higher? What is the price for Santa Barbara?
David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
May 21, 2010 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I dont really care one way or the other used to live in West Beach and while it will be a hassle for a few nights its a momentary inconvenience. I was intrigued by the fact the city would give a permit to a group that had forged city documents to me thats the only shocking item in the article.
pointssouth (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don and William---I think you might find people more willing to hear your points of view if you stop the mud-slinging/fear-mongering and make a reasonable argument backed up with facts. No, I wasn't making in-your-face taunts at hotel owners at the meeting---I couldn't afford to make a trip to Santa Barbara so I went through the proper channels and wrote the board a letter stating my opinion. I generally have a lot of faith that locally elected officials will show sound judgment and do the right thing after hearing all of the relevant facts in the matter. If you did take the time to attend the meeting you might find yourself convinced that the festival isn't such a bad idea after all.
Taceohat and David---I hear you---It sounds like you see more cons than pros and I'm guessing the conceptions that you have are popular among people that oppose the festival. Let's start with the assumption that the festival brings in money. The bed tax and the facility fee are direct benefits to the city, but it doesn't seem like that's enough to "justify the negative impacts" caused by the event. Well, that's because you're not considering the indirect revenue created by the event. Last year I spent around $1,000 at the festival. Every cent of that money was spent on local businesses, from the hotel I stayed in to the restaurants I went to (Eladio's sweet potato fries are making my mouth water just thinking of them). On each one of those purchases, I paid tax. On the income that the business received from my purchases, they paid tax. After those businesses paid their employees, the employees went out and spent the money at other local businesses, so they had to pay tax again. So as a result of me taking the money I earned in Sacramento and spending it in Santa Barbara the local businesses get more than $1,000 in revenue as the money is recycled. Employees get a good chunk of that recycled into their paychecks. Santa Barbara County and City gets a chunk of the taxes that are paid. This economic principle is described in greater detail here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_m... Just about the only people that don't win in this model are the retirees, but look on the bright side---at least you are seeing the benefits of a social security program that I never will.
UCSBCPA (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If Europeans are already planning to come and hotels are expecting to sell out regardless of whether West Beach happens or not as you suggest then they stand to gain even more than I thought. Because Santa Barbara is relatively isolated there are a fixed number of rooms available. If there is enough demand already to sell out before considering the thousands of out-of-town festival goers that need a place to sleep, imagine what demand would be like with them. People will be willing to pay more for a hotel because of the fixed quantity and hotels can jack up their prices and still sell out. Try and book a hotel room during March in a city where the tournament is being played and you'll find hotel rooms cost much more that weekend than the weekend before or after.
There were some issues with last year's festival, agreed, but those issues are being adequately addressed. Would you really rather that some corporate management team with no ties to the local community throw this event? Sure, Walmart is more efficient and has a better image of reliability than your local grocer, but then again it's cold, heartless Walmart. Would you shop there?
The draw of the festival is that it is great music in a great environment---on the beach. I've never heard of an indoor festival and Twiin does multiple events outside of WBMF each year at some of the venues you mentioned.
Not only did information get released to the general public, but you should have heard about it if you read the local paper. I read online articles in the Santa Barbara News Press and the Independent that went into great detail about the upcoming hearing, along with whatever other notices were posted. The hearing took place after normal business hours to give everyone a chance to be heard. You could have sent a letter in if you couldn't make it. Face it, there were more people that were at the hearing because more people want to see this event happen than don't.
UCSBCPA (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
or maybe other people are busy and have other commitments and weren't being offered something in return for their support.
taceohat (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
... or maybe your point of view is not as popular as you think, as most people aren't offended by the sight and sounds of a good time.
binky (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
UCSBCPA Just to play a little Devils Advocate with your points. I would guess the majority of visitors are staying in Isla Vista with friends or with other students who live in town so that knocks down the revenue enhancement to City of Santa Barbara through bed or other taxes. You seem to love the city so much, whether you came that weekend or not you would be coming anyways probably
Also since many of the attendees are students who live in Isla Vista, the city's obligation is to actual residents. The students and you (who wrote a letter) desires for what the City of Santa Barbara should or should not do should take a backseat to local residents who elected the council don't you think?
You also speak of your hotel, well you clearly don't own one down there those who do were not in favor of the event. The glib reply about you can charge a credit card for damage to rooms, if its serious there is a likelihood there may not be enough credit left on the card. You also do not take into account refunds/ cancellations due to other guests who choose to leave because they don't want to be near that as well as how long a damaged room may be out of inventory.
pointssouth (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I once dated a girl who was a twin.
KehlogAlbran (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How could you tell one from the other?
sixdolphins (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 7:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Her brother had a moustache.
KehlogAlbran (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2010 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks, CPA tourist from Sacramento. I fully understand the Economic Multiplier effect. The other economic concept is Opportunity Cost, meaning here any revenue not gained because this event is occurring instead. As the economists say, it may be a Wash in net revenue to the City, but other Externalities should be incorporated into this Cost-Benefit Analysis.
Therefore, I suggest to the City Council that the economic variable to be negotiated is the "facility fee" and whether the offer from the Twiins of $4 per ticket is enough. This variable did not even seem to be part of the deliberation by Parks and Recreation Commission.
These economic analyses also assume that all the noise and other negative impacts no longer are impacts either.
And, yes, "some issues with last year's festival" indeed is quite the understatement, and plenty of local judgment from years of local experience may not conclude those same issues, such as counterfeiting the car parking passes, "are being adequately addressed."
This is all the fine art of local governance, how to make fair, objective decisions on behalf of the residents of this one City.
David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
May 21, 2010 at 8:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wait a minute... I read this to say that the twins are NOT going to employ the same measures they promised before this hearing regarding vulgarity and language by the performers?
THAT was the most obnoxious and disturbing part of this whole thing before. I've got young kids that most certainly do not need to hear such things.
Ridiculous.
...and the "directed" bass sounds? Laughable.
cartoonz (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 12:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Upon further examination of the above pictures I conclude that these men are conjoined twins.
sixdolphins (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 2:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
UCSBCPA; and you are whom?
DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
David_Pritchett points out for our anonymous UCSBCPA that it is describing the multiplier effect. But, there are costs that are not calculated or taken into the equation. This temporary alcohol and ecstasy induced economic squirt is questionable and says a lot about this community, and in my opinion negatively.
To me the most frightening comments in this article were those attributed to Council Member Williams. If we are a community in a budget crisis then that is what it is, a crisis. But we share that crisis, the community suffers equitably. We do not sell out neighborhoods or districts for unwanted uses to balance the budget. Balancing the budget on neighborhoods due to failed economic schemes on Wall Street is short sighted.
DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I truly wish I had the time to adequetly debate all of the great counter points. Yes, I have no idea the true cost to the hotel owners and I have never managed a hotel, so I'm not sure how practical my ideas about managing around the issues the festival brings hotels (How different is this from Fiesta? What do you do then to keep the patrons happy even though people are getting wasted?). Local governments have a primary obligation to its citizens, true, and I admittedly am not one. But the majority of those that showed up at the hearing were taxpaying local citizens and their voices were heard. Also, just because I live in Sacramento doesn't mean I'm not invested in what goes on in Santa Barbara. Otherwise I wouldn't be spending so much time on this message board. And I use any influence I have to advocate for state policies such as program funding that affect Santa Barbara. As far as the economics of the festival---both its indirect positive and negative impacts---any feeble attempts to quantify and compare are heresay. I would be very interested in an in-depth economic study on this. Maybe I can give one of my old econ professors a call at UCSB and get a student to do a full analysis for a thesis project or an independent study class. I wish I had the time to do this myself---it's so interesting. I can say this though. Limiting the number of attendees from 12,000+ to 7,500 per day is going to really shrink the revenue that Twiin gets. Most of the costs of the festival are fixed and already committed. Now you add in another cost of 4$ per ticket that Twiin is pledging to help the city. Is it really fair to ask for more than that? I don't think so. I think the compromise has been made and the details have been hashed out already. If you are so critical of your local government, you think things could be much better and your opinion is valid/supported by others in the community---why not run for parks and rec commision or city council yourself?
UCSBCPA (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Running for City Council is a good idea.
Why didn't I think of that?
Who is to say what is "fair" or a "compromise" when the City has zero obligation to approve any permit for any event on the public beach that already has ongoing public uses.
If the Twiins do not like the permit conditions or the Facility Fee amount, they are free to withdraw their permit application.
This is not private property zoned for a commercial development with entitlements that a developer has a right to, which are conditions that start to define what is fair.
David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
May 22, 2010 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
..."there are costs that are not calculated or taken into the equation. This temporary alcohol and ecstasy induced economic squirt is questionable and says a lot about this community, and in my opinion negatively." -Don McDermottt-
Amen to that. Our officials have sold out to the bratty booze contingent for years and everywhere you look now, it's all about bars and people getting wasted.
I make it a point NOT to go into downtown Santa Barbara simply because I can't stand the energy and as one who grew up in S.B. I'm disappointed but clearly mob rule, $$$, and hormones win the day. Never put it past our "leaders" to ignore the adage "what profitith a man if he gain the world and lose his soul". I feel so sorry for the people who live in the area or who run honorable businesses who have to put up with this mess.
Profit over principle, some more road rage and stabbings, and it's just another day in Paradise.
billclausen (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I forget to mention: It's ok to get drunk and raise hell, but DON'T DO DRUGS. There, I feel I've done me good deed for the day.
billclausen (anonymous profile)
May 22, 2010 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"But the majority of those that showed up at the hearing were taxpaying local citizens and their voices were heard." - UCSBCPA
"No, I wasn't making in-your-face taunts at hotel owners at the meeting---I couldn't afford to make a trip to Santa Barbara so I went through the proper channels and wrote the board a letter stating my opinion." - UCSBCPA
If you weren't in attendance, how can you vouch for who was there?
WilliamMunny (anonymous profile)
May 24, 2010 at 12:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank God, Bill Clausen has joined in the fray. As for the bratty-booze-contingent, or the BBC as I prefer to call them, couldn't we parallel Arizona and enforce some of the laws that are already on the books?
Since it must be a fact that "everywhere you look now, it's all about bars and people getting wasted...mob rule, $$$, and hormones win the day...", there are laws already on the books that allow us to stop these brats, check their IDs, get breath/blood/urine tests and take them off the streets permanently.
The band "Soul Survivor" notwithstanding, "what profitith a man if he gain the world and lose his soul"...what price is the city willing to be blackmailed for these souls?
Thanks, once again, Bill, for being the monolith of reason.
virtuallynothing (anonymous profile)
May 25, 2010 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Virtuallynothing, or "VN", ever been to a Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting? I'm sure you'd tell them off wouldn't you?
billclausen (anonymous profile)
May 26, 2010 at 2:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not at 2:55 AM, I wouldn't. Get some sleep, Bill.
...though I have "told MADD off" as you phrase it. When they've sponsored 'benefits' which serve considerable amounts of alcoholic beverages MADD requested from and was donated by the very profit mongers you abhor and castigate.
I don't drink - but that's my choice, not yours. Do you and MADD drive only on ONE WAY streets?
Perhaps there will be room to put your money where your mouth is if your foot is put back on the ground.
That having been said, there is absolutely no doubt where you stand, which is a commendable thing, whether or not I agree with you. Thank you.
virtuallynothing (anonymous profile)
May 26, 2010 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
VN: Most of your above post isn't worth commenting on since most of it is a personal put down (God forbid if one questions the way people behave) but there is one point you raise that I'd like to know more about: Does M.A.D.D. really sponsor events that serve alcohol? If they do, please provide some examples.
billclausen (anonymous profile)
May 26, 2010 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"...though I have "told MADD off" as you phrase it. When they've sponsored 'benefits' which serve considerable amounts of alcoholic beverages MADD requested from and was donated by the very profit mongers you abhor and castigate. " -Virtuallynothing-
Virtuallynothing: In response to your above allegation about M.A.D.D., I contacted Silas Miers, Programs Specialist for the Sacramento, Ca, charter office of Mothers Against Drunk driving, and in the voice mail message I received from him today he told me that Mothers Against Drunk Driving has it written in to their policy that they absolutely are not to purchase or serve alcohol at their events and that if there is a third-party fundraiser which benefits M.A.D.D. where alcohol is planned to be served, M.A.D.D. will request that the alcohol not be served.
If you have any further questions, or wish to verify what I am writing , Mr. Miers can be reached at 916-481-6233 extension 104.
billclausen (anonymous profile)
May 27, 2010 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Appeal filed today for this to be appealed to City Council, already scheduled for 15th June.
David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
June 1, 2010 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to school with both of these jerks. They were douches then, and are douches now. They just have less hair.
PixiStix (anonymous profile)
October 31, 2010 at 6:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)