LOCAL MUSIC
Council removes the decibel limit on Tantra’s Conditional Use permit
Strolling through Hopkins in the afternoon is likely to be a pleasant experience filled with people watching and live music wafting through the air. The possibility of the music being silenced weighed heavily on the community’s minds as many — three hours worth of public comment — came to the San Marcos City Council meeting to ensure that the decibel limit on Tantra’s Conditional Use permit would be removed. And Tantra’s well-wishers were successful in their quest as the council voted unanimously to restore the venue’s original CUP without the decibel limit at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting.
Jason Weems, a San Marcos Arts Commission member and coordinator of the songwriter night that occurs at Tantra every other Monday, pointed to Tantra’s importance to the music scene.
“I believe that creativity is the birthright of all humans and not just a lottery ticket drawn by those few. The truth of that can get lost to some, but the good news is that there are places — places like San Marcos [with] community cornerstones like Tantra Coffeehouse that actively curate a safe and welcoming environment where our neighbors and our guests can intimately interact with the thriving community that this council has worked so hard to foster and support,” Weems said. “I’ll add that my touring musical family across the globe, which considers Tantra to be a gem in the music crown of Central Texas, often comments on how excited they are to hear of its return.”
Page Michel, San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce president, showed up to speak in support of the small business.
“I’m here tonight representing the Chamber of Commerce because we stand up for small business,” Michel said. “We advocate for regulations that are clear and consistent that create an environment where business can thrive. This permit ruling was unfair, unfounded and unprecedented, and we urge council to overturn the ruling.”
Kali Rose KB, a sevenyear old musician and local San Marcan, discussed why Tantra is not only a family-friendly venue but a pillar in the San Marcos music community, punctuated by an expertly- played harmonica solo.
“I want to save Tantra because Tantra is a very big music scene that I think is amazing. My friends go all the time. I go all the time. That’s where my dad and my mom got married,” KB said. “It has really fun stuff. The music is great. We have never heard at Tantra any swear words.”
San Marcos City Council Member Amanda Rodriguez thanked everyone in the audience for taking the time to come out.
“There were some things brought up [in the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting] as to why this was even before us today and that was accusations that it wasn’t a family friendly business,” Rodriguez said. “In taking this position, I think one of the things that I was really passionate about was the creation of communities. It has been clear in the emails [sent to council by Tantra supporters and] it has been clear in today’s comments that Tantra has done something that many of us try to imagine how to do. And they’ve done it so successfully for people of all ages.”
City Council member Mark Gleason suggested modifying the CUP to make it valid for one year and include a decibel limit that was higher than the one set by the Planning and Zoning Commission — 60 decibels, but he preferred there be some compromise rather than full removal of the noise restriction. He added that the one-year CUP would be the council’s only recourse if Tantra were to exceed the decibel limit set.
Jeffrey Colasurd, Tantra’s owner, was concerned that a one-year CUP would require him to jump through more “hoops” than he already has, particularly because the initial CUP required renovations and was “not a simple process.”
“I tell people repeatedly that the hardest thing about opening up a food and beverage establishment in San Marcos is the city,” Colasurd said. “Getting to the finish line of getting open and adhering to the rules placed on us, following them, then now I’m here. I’m sure there may be a middle ground, but I’m pretty steadfast in what we’ve asked just because we have followed the rules.”
Gleason made the motion to modify the CUP to one year and adjust the decibel limit to 85 until 10 p.m., but no one seconded the motion. In the end he withdrew his motion, and the council unanimously voted to reinstate the initial CUP with no decibel limit.
