The New Orleans Governmental Affairs Committee will meet today to discuss and take a preliminary vote on an ordinance updating a number of age-old decency laws. Under the revisions, the sale of alcohol would be allowed within the 300-foot 'safe zone' around playgrounds, schools, churches and public libraries.
This would allow the proliferation of new restaurants and bars in the city. However, a prohibition on live music would remain in place. And that's where the Music and Cultural Coalition of New Orleans (MaCCNO) takes issue. In a dispatch on the ordinance, MaCCNO says, "The way this has been re-written is not a prohibition on the sale of alcohol within 300 feet of churches, schools, etc—but rather a targeted prohibition on barrooms and most live entertainment, which is fundamentally unacceptable (it allows alcohol to be sold and consumed on premises for a number of businesses, just not those that are strictly bars and prohibits live performance venues completely)."
Speaking with WWL First News MaCCNO executive director Ethan Ellestad stated "Live performance or live music is not the same as a regular bar. They have a space that is about something New Orleans celebrates. And there shouldn't be a reason to limit that."
Ellestad concludes allowing the prohibition on live venues is counter intuitive and out-of-sync with New Orleans culture. He cites the conversion of a number of former churches that are now hosting live music. This includes St. Augustine Catholic Church in Treme, Holy Trinity Catholic Church--now the Marigny Opera House, and the Norwegian Seaman's Church--now the Scandinavian Jazz Church on Prytania.
MaCCNO is opposing the adoption of the ordinance in its current state and says the ordinance needs to retire the prohibition and allow more live music venues; and allow for live music and entertainment to be performed in residential areas of the city as well.
