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Community Corner

Hudson Owner Apologizes for Block Party

At a neighborhood meeting on Thursday, the owner of the Hudson restaurant apologizes to residents for the disruption the 12-hour Hudson Block Party held on Sunday had on the area. Mayor Jeff Prang also apologizes for city not doing better job with party.

Residents living in the Laurel-Norton neighborhood received apologies Thursday night for .

City officials and Hudson restaurant owners were on hand at a neighborhood meeting to discuss the impacts the large, 12-hour outdoor party had on people living nearby.

“I apologize for the disturbance,” Hudson co-owner Michael Jay told the 30 people gathered for the meeting. “I didn’t realize the impact on the neighborhood.”

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West Hollywood Mayor Jeff Prang also issued an apology.

“This event had more impacts than we expected,” Prang said. “If anybody’s to blame, it’s the city. There are things we could have done that were better . . . from the city’s perspective, I apologize.”

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The , held on the northeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Heights Boulevard in front of the Hudson restaurant and in the adjacent Bank of America parking lot, attracted an estimated 6,500 people owners said. A dozen bands performed between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. 

At the meeting, residents expressed their anger about the noise from the bands, the traffic and parking problems the event created and the attendees urinating in their yards.

Many were also upset about it being billed as a “block party” when it attracted people from far beyond the neighborhood.

“A block party is when you crack open a watermelon,” said one resident. “This was a music festival.”

Lack of notification

The issue residents seemed most angry about was the lack of notification about the party. 

Jay said he sent out mailings to residents in a 500-foot radius, as the city required. However, few residents received that mailing. Those who did, said it arrived on Thursday, May 17 before the party on May 20, not enough time to respond, especially with City Hall closed that Friday.

Daniel Mick, who lives in the area and works as a city Code Compliance officer, said, “If I didn’t work for the city, I wouldn’t have known this was going on.”

Prang said that if the Hudson is allowed to hold another party in the future, a mailing of 1,500 feet would likely be more appropriate and that the city will handle it, then bill the Hudson.

Jay said he got very little feedback after the Based on the success of that 10-hour party which attracted an estimated 4,000 people, Jay said he tried to do a bigger and better event.

Residents said the first party had less impact since it was smaller and didn’t last as long.

Although the Hudson paid for a dozen sheriff’s deputies to be on hand, residents wanted to know why there weren’t more deputies patrolling the neighborhood. A deputy responded that Sunday was a busy day for them with the , the and the .

As the meeting began to wind down, several complimented Jay and the other Hudson representatives for being brave enough to attend.

Jay said he wanted to work with the neighborhood and volunteered his restaurant for neighborhood meetings.

Attendees also thanked Prang and other city representatives for attending the meeting.

“We are hearing all these message loud and clear,” Prang. “I want to reassure all of you, I know who I work for and that’s each of you. My job is on the line every four years. I take that very seriously.”

 

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