Pine Street Businesses

Amid complaints, Paso pulls plug on downtown bar’s music — for now

The city says Downtown Brewing Co. can resume its entertainment once it meets new conditions

By Leah Etling

Amplified music and dancing at the Paso Robles Downtown Brewing Co. bar and restaurant will cease temporarily after the city responded to repeated noise complaints from a nearby luxury hotel.

In the past 11 months, the Paso Robles Police Department logged seven complaints, from employees or guests at the Hotel Cheval, a $195-to $375-a-night boutique hotel just down Pine Street from the popular local bar.

The dispute signifies growing pains in Paso Robles. While the Hotel Cheval is billed as one of the most luxurious places to stay for guests, Downtown Brew, as it is commonly called, is a popular spot for weekend entertainment.

“Just this morning I had a guest come and say: ‘The music from that bar is really loud, and it’s hard to sleep,’ ” said hotel manager Judy Hudson on Tuesday. She said her staff has complained more than seven times about the noise, but some of those calls must not have been noted by police.

Motivated in part by the hotel’s concerns, the city Planning Commission last week reviewed the status of the bar’s conditional use permit. It determined that amplified music and dancing must stop until Downtown Brew meets conditions specified in the original permit and several new conditions suggested by the police department and bar owners.

The updated conditions require that doors and windows be closed at all times while the music plays, that in-house security be present during entertainment and that a security management training plan be in place.

Two of the bar’s owners, who spoke at length at a public hearing, also offered to place sound mufflers on the ceiling of the upstairs balcony, use a downstairs door that is oriented away from the hotel and install glass on the south-facing side of the popular balcony.

“We feel like we’re being singled out by Hotel Cheval. We don’t feel like they want us there,” said Darren Smith of Compass Health, which owns Downtown Brew.

However, Smith and co-owner Tim Hodge said they are willing to do what it takes so both businesses can coexist.

At the heart of the dispute is noise that comes from the bar’s popular balcony.

Attorney Tom Whalen, representing Hotel Cheval, suggested that the balcony be shut down or at least closed after 10 p. m.

Several planning commissioners expressed concerns that they were being thrown into a dispute between businesses. Tom Flynn said it felt like the commission had become a referee, while Joel Peterson compared it to a jury trial. The commission cannot favor one business over another, Flynn said.

The commissioners decided by a 6-0 vote that DJs and live music can resume at Downtown Brew once the fixes are made, and the changes must be in place within 60 days. A formal review will take place 90 days from the compliance deadline.