07-28-15 Meeting Minutes

BUTTERFIELD-RIVIERA EAST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

DATE: July 28, 2015
PLACE:  Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, California
MEETING TYPE:  BRECA Steering Committee Meeting

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT

Kelly Cohen
Bonnie Domeny
Gay Jones
Jim Morgan
Celia Rasmussen

1. Welcome from Acting Chair Gay Jones
2. Minutes
   1. Draft Minutes for June 23, 2015
      Some changes were requested and accepted to the draft minutes for June 23, 2015.  Kelly Cohen made a motion to accept the modified draft minutes.  Bonnie Domeny seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.
   2. Draft Minutes for April 28, 2015
      Kelly Cohen made a motion to accept the draft minutes for April 28, 2015.  Bonnie Domeny seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

3. Reports
   1. Treasurer’s Report
      There was no treasurer’s report.
   2. From the Floor
      Gay Jones reported that there was a discussion of the Parkway Natural Resources Management Plan (NRMP) at the American River Parkway Coalition meeting.  Kelly Cohen commented that the Resource Impact Management Plan is included in the NRMP.Bonnie Domeny stated that there is a Parks Maintenance and Recreation Improvement District (PMRID) meeting scheduled for next week.  She also reported that there was a discussion of why general tax money was not used for maintenance of local parks.  Also, the budget is not broken down for specific parks by special districts.

      Gay Jones reported that there was a workshop at the Board of Supervisors on transportation for the proposed Jackson Highway development.  Plans are to improve smaller roads to street standards, and also have mass transit.  They estimate about $700 million for roads and mass transit.  Supervisor Nottoli pointed out that there is no planned crossing of the Folsom South Canal for about four miles, and that a vehicle crossing to Sunrise Blvd. is needed.  “Trip wires” are six thousand cars per day for conversion to regular streets and 18 thousand cars per day for four lane roads.  Regional transit has three future bus lines planned, which focus on Watt/Manlove and Sunrise Blvd. as drop offs.  There are to be two bicycle/pedestrian crossings of the Folsom South Canal.  An Environmental Impact Report for two of the proposed development areas is scheduled for the end of this year.

4. Old Business
   1. By-Laws Discussion
      Jim Morgan suggested that perhaps the discussion of proposed amendments to the By-Laws should be postponed, since only five Steering Committee members were present.  Gay Jones took a poll of the Steering Committee members, and four were in favor of continuing with the discussion, with one abstaining.At this point, four additional community members came to the meeting.  Gay Jones asked what they were interested in, and they responded that they had heard that the owners of the Blow Lounge were coming to the meeting, and they wanted to discuss the Blow Lounge.  Discussion of the Blow Lounge began: see item 4c below.  After the discussion on the Blow Lounge, the Steering Committee agreed to postpone discussion of the By-Laws.
   2. Picnic
      There was no discussion of the picnic.
   3. From the Floor
      [Blow Lounge]
      Gay Jones stated that she had talked to Supervisors Nottoli’s office and that there is to be a meeting of County Code Enforcement, Sheriffs, and County Finance on Thursday, July 30 concerning the Blow Lounge.  She stated that she understood the business license to require no music after 12:00 midnight, but the Blow Lounge website states music until 2:00 am.Bonnie Domeny stated that the Blow Lounge has erected a structure in front without a permit.  Code Enforcement forced them to take down a tent, but the Blow Lounge owners are attempting to bring the rest of the structure into compliance.  She also stated that she had contacted the POP (Problem Oriented Policing) officer a while ago concerning music after midnight.  A Sheriff’s deputy went in back of the building and said the volume was low, so did not contact the business.  She stated that the same thing happened in past years with similar results.

      Gay Jones stated that conditions on business licenses are attached to serving alcohol, but not to other late night social gathering places that may involve smoking, music, or dancing.  She suggested that late night social gathering places may not be a good fit for the neighborhood.  She also noted that the Rosemont Center was forced to build a sound-deadening wall behind the center.  She suggested that Bonnie Domeny draft a BRECA letter to Supervisor Nottoli, which could be reviewed by the Steering Committee.  There was general agreement to take this action.

      At this point, the two new owners of the Blow Lounge, Husein Bharwani and Sana Ali, joined the meeting.  Mr. Bharwani stated that he wanted to “check the temperature” with the neighbors.  They have created a Middle Eastern social hall with the Blow Lounge.  He stated that some people are pointing fingers, but the charges are not justified.

      Gay Jones stated that our goal is to have neighbors not disturbed by noise so they can sleep at night.  Her understanding is that the business license states that music must stop at midnight.

      Mr. Bharwani stated that they have worked with the County to reduce issues, and they have no issues with the County.  He stated that there is no audible music outside the building after midnight.  This is measured as less than 45 decibels outside the back door, using their own sound level meter.  He stated that he came to create peace with the neighbors, and only wants to add good things to the community.

      One of the neighbors stated that she hears noise late at night and sees on the Blow Lounge web site music late at night.  She puts these two together.  Another neighbor stated that he goes to bed at 9:00 pm and the noise is disturbing.

      Mr. Bharwani stated that music between 12:00 midnight and 1:30 am is below 45 decibels outside the back door, and there is no music after 1:30 am.  He further stated that the County has given them a permit and they are compliant with the permit.  He also stated that they need music on Friday and Saturday nights to be a viable business.

      Bonnie Domeny stated that she understood the restriction on music to be no music after 12:00 midnight.  Also, no music is to be audible off the property at any time.

      Ms. Ali suggested that an experiment be conducted.  The Blow Lounge would play their music, and the owners and neighbors would together go inside the Blow Lounge, then to the back entrance, then to a neighbor’s house and driveway to see if the music could be heard.  Kelly Cohen suggested a further test would be to turn off the Blow Lounge music, and see if music could still be heard.  There was general agreement that the experiment would be an action to pursue.  Further discussion identified time of day or night as important, and 9:00 pm or 11:00 pm were suggested as good times to do the experiment.  A sign-up sheet was circulated for people who wanted to participate in the experiment.

      Gay Jones stated that she wants to hear what the County comes up with at the County meeting on Thursday, and also to do the empirical experiment in time for the next BRECA meeting.  Perhaps other things to look at would be a concrete wall behind the business, or sound-proofing inside the business.

5. New Business
   1. From the Floor
      There was no new business from the floor.

6. Meeting adjourned.

The next Meeting will be a Steering Committee Meeting and will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2015, at the Rancho Cordova Library.