Help stop the noise in bars, terraces and lounges

We ask downtown neighbors to send letters in order to stop the noise in bars, terraces and lounges

Published June 30, 2021 (sp)

Editorial staff newssanmiguel@gmail.com

Through social networks, neighbors of the downtown area of San Miguel de Allende share a letter to invite neighbors affected by the noise and problems generated by the proliferation of bars, nightclubs, canteens, terraces and nightclubs.

We ask you to put your name and send a letter to the Municipal Government to demand the rigorous application of current regulations to prevent bars and nightclubs-terrazas from emitting noise impacts that disturb the lives of people and families living in San Miguel de Allende, through the Directorate of Civil Protection and the Ministry of Public Safety.

The letter also request sthat the City Council issue a municipal regulation or bando to prevent the opening of new bars and nightclubs-terrazas, and to strictly and efficiently regulate the operation of the existing ones, as well as the venues where weddings and parties with amplified sound are held.

This is the letter and the format you can send: (Spanish below)

C. GONZALO GONZÁLEZ, MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT

C. LUISA MARÍA GRANADOS SALDAÑA, SECRETARY OF GOVERNMENT AND CITY HALL

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GTO.

As residents of the historic center of San Miguel de Allende and on behalf of a growing number of aggrieved neighbors, we address the highest authority of the Municipality to express our total disagreement with the authorizations granted by recent local administrations to a growing number of bars, nightclubs, cantinas, party and wedding halls, to operate openly in the public space, emitting amplified music in a loud and uncontrolled manner until late at night.

The accelerated proliferation of these commercial activities in areas of the city where people and families have historically lived, is destroying its residential character and causing the gradual expulsion of its inhabitants, due to the impact of noise emissions from the authorized establishments, which occurs any day, but especially on weekends. In addition to violating elementary human rights of privacy and tranquility, it clearly contradicts the parameters established in the declaration of World Heritage conferred by UNESCO to San Miguel de Allende.

We are aware that weddings and celebrations have represented a form of economic income for the city. We are not opposed to their realization, as long as they take place in closed venues, at restricted hours and with sound control to the outside, or take place outside the urban residential area.

We do not feel the same way about bars and nightclubs. Their proliferation is already pernicious and offensive to community life. It is incomprehensible that the operation of bars and nightclubs with doors and windows open to the street has been authorized and tolerated, as well as terraces on buildings, whose amplified sound impact is forcibly projected and magnified on streets and houses of the city, which is already intolerable for those who still live in downtown San Miguel.

This unfortunate situation, which had a truce during the most acute months of the pandemic, has been exacerbated recently with the multiplication of night clubs, terraces and noisy parties until late at night. The countless citizen complaints through the 911 line have been fruitless and frustrating.

The Directorate of Ecology is not empowered to close a nightclub or suspend a party; the most it can do is monitor the decibels and impose a fine on the establishment.

The Directorate of Civil Protection does have the authority to suspend or close a party, but rarely does so, perhaps due to lack of personnel and police support, or for other reasons unknown to us.

Therefore, we respectfully request,

To the Municipal Government: the rigorous application of the current regulations to prevent bars and nightclubs-terrazas from emitting noise impacts that disturb the lives of the people and families that live in the city, through the Civil Protection Department and the Secretary of Public Safety.

To the H. City Council: the expeditious promulgation of a municipal regulation or bando that prevents the opening of new bars and nightclubs-terrazas, and that strictly and efficiently regulates the operation of the already existing ones, as well as the venues where weddings and parties with amplified sound take place.
We look forward to your kind response.

Sincerely yours,

(signatures)

c.c.p. Josafat Enríquez, Director of Civil Protection
Francisco Peyret, Director of the Environment and Ecology
Diego Prieto Hernandez, Director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History

Frédéric Vacheron, UNESCO Representative in Mexico

C. GONZALO GONZÁLEZ, PRESIDENTE MUNICIPAL

C. LUISA MARÍA GRANADOS SALDAÑA, SECRETARIA DE GOBIERNO Y DEL AYUNTAMIENTO

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GTO.

En nuestra calidad de residentes del centro histórico de San Miguel de Allende y en representación de un creciente número de vecinos agraviados, nos dirigimos a la máxima autoridad del Municipio para manifestar nuestra total inconformidad con las autorizaciones otorgadas por las recientes administraciones locales a un creciente número de bares, antros, cantinas y salones de fiestas y bodas, para operar de manera abierta hacia el espacio público, emitiendo música amplificada de manera estruendosa y descontrolada hasta altas horas de la noche.

La proliferación acelerada de estos giros comerciales en zonas de la ciudad donde históricamente habitamos personas y familias, está destruyendo su carácter residencial y provocando la expulsión paulatina de sus habitantes, debido al impacto de emisiones sonoras desde los establecimientos autorizados, lo cual ocurre cualquier día, pero sobre todo los fines de semana. Además de violentar derechos humanos elementales de intimidad y tranquilidad, contradice claramente los parámetros establecidos en la declaratoria de Patrimonio Mundial conferido por la UNESCO a San Miguel de Allende.

Estamos conscientes de que las bodas y festejos han representado una forma de ingreso económico para la ciudad. No nos oponemos a su realización, siempre y cuando se lleven a cabo en recintos cerrados, en horarios restringidos y con control de sonido hacia el exterior, o bien tengan lugar fuera de la zona urbana residencial.

Respecto a los bares y antros no pensamos lo mismo. Su proliferación resulta ya perniciosa y ofensiva para la vida comunitaria. Es incomprensible que se haya autorizado y se tolere la operación de bares y antros con puertas y ventanas abiertas a la calle, así como de terrazas sobre los edificios, cuyo impacto sonoro amplificado se proyecta y magnifica forzosamente sobre calles y casas de la ciudad, resultando ya intolerable para quienes aún habitamos en el centro de San Miguel.

Esta lamentable situación, que tuvo un tregua durante los meses más agudos de la pandemia, se ha exacerbado en fechas recientes con la multiplicación de antros, terrazas y festejos estruendosos hasta horas avanzadas de la noche. Las incontables denuncias ciudadanas a través del la línea 911 han resultado infructuosas y frustrantes.

La Dirección de Ecología no está facultada para cerrar un antro o suspender un festejo; lo más que puede hacer es monitorear los decibles e imponer una multa al establecimiento.

La Dirección de Protección Civil sí tiene facultades para la suspensión o el cierre, pero rara vez lo hace, quizá por falta de personal y respaldo policial para ello, o por otras causas que desconocemos.

Por lo anteriormente expuesto, solicitamos respetuosamente,

•  Al Gobierno Municipal: la aplicación rigurosa de la normatividad vigente para impedir que los bares y antros-terrazas emitan impactos sonoros que perturben la vida de las personas y familias que habitamos en la ciudad, a través de la Dirección de Protección Civil y la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública
• Al H. Ayuntamiento:  la promulgación expedita de un reglamento o bando municipal que impida la apertura de nuevos bares y antros-terrazas, y que norme de manera estricta y eficiente la operación de los ya existentes, así como de los recintos donde se llevan a cabo bodas y festejos con sonido amplificado.

Quedamos a la espera de su amable respuesta.

Atentamente,

 (firmas)

• c.c.p.  Josafat Enríquez, Director de Protección Civil
• Francisco Peyret, Director de Medio Ambiente y Ecología

Diego Prieto Hernández, Director del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia

Frédéric Vacheron, Representante de la UNESCO en México