Laguna Beach Street Performers Get Stricter Parameters: Council

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — The Laguna Beach city council has approved a new ordinance to mitigate safety concerns and business owner complaints, they say. The offending parties? Sidewalk street performers.

The Laguna Beach city council has gone back and forth on their opinions regarding the troublesome troubadours over several past meetings. They have determined to make the rules more strict on the who, what, when, and where around sidewalk street performers.

Musicians can play in the open air from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and only for three hours at a stretch at Promenade on Forest Avenue, according to the city. If playing on the Promenade, Performers at the Promenade must use the stage.

When setting up, there needs to be a buffer between the buskers and park benches. Musicians must give space to passers-by by not blocking business entrances, bus stops, crosswalks, or entrances to residences, according to the council's decision. Plus, if you want to perform outside, you'll need to submit a city permit for doing so. Those applications will collect proof of identity, a description of what will be played and then be submitted for approval by the Cultural Arts Department.

Business owners are up for the new ideas, according to speakers at the council session.

Rock Martin Custom Jewelry owner Michael McFadden spoke at the council meeting, saying he doesn't have anything against musicians but tires of "poorly played saxophone" next to his business as he's trying to work. The result, he said, was "insufferable," and he called the new ordinance a "no-brainer."

Other residents thought the new rules were overly harsh.

Michael Minutoli, the unofficial town greeter, may be prevented from his dancing and spinning antics near the Sapphire Restaurant with the rules being put into place.

Still, the Assistant City Manager, Ken Domer, agreed that Minutoli's role is not in jeopardy as it does not break the new ordinance rules.

Cultural Arts Manager Sian Paschal discussed the new ordinance and the tradition of performance artists in this artists' city and said they "tried to find that balance between the businesses and the performers."

Open locations for entertaining are city parks, the Peppertree Parking lot where the holiday festival happens annually, and the U.S. Post Office area of downtown Laguna Beach. Intersections free for playing are Glenneyre Street and Forest Avenue, Forest Lane and South Coast Highway, and South Coast Highway and Laguna Avenue, according to the council.