December 16, 2025
Dear Members of the Entertainment Commission,
We oppose approval of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association’s application for a year-long, weekly amplified-sound permit for the 400 block of Hayes Street. As proposed, the application seeks authorization for every Friday and every Saturday, for up to six hours per day, over the course of an entire year. This represents a significant expansion of amplified entertainment activity on a dense, residential-serving block and raises serious concerns regarding cumulative impacts, timing, and regulatory consistency.
Friday Overlap and Cumulative Impacts
Licensed bar businesses on the block (Anina and Brass Tacks) already hold Entertainment Commission permits with defined conditions for Friday programming. Those permits exist precisely because these businesses are regulated entertainment operators subject to Commission oversight, conditions, and enforcement mechanisms. Approving additional Friday amplified sound through a separate HVNA permit would create overlapping entertainment uses, increase cumulative noise impacts for the residential corridor, and bypass the safeguards that apply to licensed entertainment businesses. Fridays already have a regulated entertainment footprint and should not be duplicated through a parallel permit.
Appropriate Scope: Saturdays Only, Limited Hours, Short Pilot Term
As clarified by Commission staff, this application is fully discretionary. If the Commission is inclined to approve any portion of this request, HVS urges that any approval be narrowly scoped to minimize cumulative impacts and preserve neighborhood balance.
Specifically, any approval should be limited to:
- Saturdays only, avoiding duplication of existing Friday entertainment already permitted through licensed businesses on the block;
- A short, clearly defined mid-afternoon window of no more than two to three hours, rather than extended multi-hour programming across the day; and
- A limited pilot term of no more than three to six months, rather than a year-long authorization.
After speaking with residents and nearby retailers, a consistent concern has emerged regarding timing. Morning and late-day amplification is particularly disruptive in a residential corridor, while extended multi-hour programming creates unavoidable impacts for neighbors and small businesses alike. Many residents have expressed the need for a narrow, predictable window for any amplified sound so they can plan their day accordingly, including temporarily leaving the area if needed. Limiting any approved sound to a short mid-afternoon window minimizes disruption during peak residential hours and reduces spillover impacts on nearby retail businesses that rely on accessibility, conversation, and a calm shopping environment. This approach reflects reasonable mitigation, not opposition to all programming. A narrowly scoped pilot would allow the Commission to evaluate actual impacts, compliance, and enforcement before considering any expansion, while avoiding premature entrenchment of weekly amplified sound in a dense, mixed-use neighborhood.
Broader Context and Process Concerns
This sound-permit application overlaps with an unresolved street-closure permit, an incomplete Entertainment Zone Management Plan, and a broader pattern of parallel permitting processes that have excluded affected stakeholders. Granting a year-long, weekly amplified-sound authorization under these circumstances would be premature.
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Hayes Valley is a mixed, dense residential and business corridor — not an entertainment corridor. The Commission has clear authority to ensure that any approval is narrow, time-limited, and compatible with the surrounding community. For these reasons, HVS respectfully urges the Commission to deny weekly year-round amplified sound for the 400 block of Hayes Street. If the Commission is inclined to approve any portion of this request, any approval should be strictly limited to Saturdays only, with a short mid-afternoon window of no more than two to three hours, subject to enforceable conditions and a short pilot term.
This correspondence has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Routine greetings, scheduling notes, and contact details have been omitted; the substance of the communication remains unchanged.