mnozzolio
04-30-03, 08:08 PM
This article from the Santa Monica Mirror:
Council Amends Street Performer Regulations
Hannah Heineman
Mirror staff writer
Last Tuesday, Santa Monica’s City Council modified the regulations for street performances on the Third Street Promenade, the Transit Mall and the Pier.
The City staff report stated that the modifications were necessary “to continue to protect the rights of individuals to engage in expressive activities, to preserve the free and safe flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic,” allow access for safety personnel and encourage fair competition.
The new regulations require Pier performers to rotate between the 23 star spaces every three hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and to maintain 35-foot separations between performers, as well as complying with other citywide performance spacing specifications and restrictions on props and other objects that could pose a safety hazard in public spaces, and sound restrictions.
They also require “Heartland vendors” [those who sell religious or political merchandise] to rotate and impose fines of up to $200 for regulation violations.
The unanimous Council vote came after members heard from a parade of street performers who urged the adoption of a rotation system on the Pier rather than the lottery system proposed in the City staff report.
Paul Dale, a Promenade caricature artist, stated that he initially opposed performer rotation but subsequently found it “extremely helpful” as it has increased his ability to earn a living.
Renya Alvarez told the Council that a lottery “would be over- regulating a system that’s already working.”
Ned Landon noted, “When there’s high demand, as in the summer, a lottery drives away and discourages good performers because access is too random.”
Council member Michael Feinstein voiced his support for a new rotation system on the Pier as there had been a “failure to implement” an earlier rotation model that called for performers to rotate at midday. His colleagues agreed, but in the end the amendment included not only a four-segment Pier rotation system but provisions to test a lottery system.
Council Amends Street Performer Regulations
Hannah Heineman
Mirror staff writer
Last Tuesday, Santa Monica’s City Council modified the regulations for street performances on the Third Street Promenade, the Transit Mall and the Pier.
The City staff report stated that the modifications were necessary “to continue to protect the rights of individuals to engage in expressive activities, to preserve the free and safe flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic,” allow access for safety personnel and encourage fair competition.
The new regulations require Pier performers to rotate between the 23 star spaces every three hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and to maintain 35-foot separations between performers, as well as complying with other citywide performance spacing specifications and restrictions on props and other objects that could pose a safety hazard in public spaces, and sound restrictions.
They also require “Heartland vendors” [those who sell religious or political merchandise] to rotate and impose fines of up to $200 for regulation violations.
The unanimous Council vote came after members heard from a parade of street performers who urged the adoption of a rotation system on the Pier rather than the lottery system proposed in the City staff report.
Paul Dale, a Promenade caricature artist, stated that he initially opposed performer rotation but subsequently found it “extremely helpful” as it has increased his ability to earn a living.
Renya Alvarez told the Council that a lottery “would be over- regulating a system that’s already working.”
Ned Landon noted, “When there’s high demand, as in the summer, a lottery drives away and discourages good performers because access is too random.”
Council member Michael Feinstein voiced his support for a new rotation system on the Pier as there had been a “failure to implement” an earlier rotation model that called for performers to rotate at midday. His colleagues agreed, but in the end the amendment included not only a four-segment Pier rotation system but provisions to test a lottery system.