INGLEWOOD – Inglewood Mayor James Butts Jr. addressed the public about noise complaints generated by portions of the South Bay region in regards to a concert held at Hollywood Park August 3 and 4.
“We were perplexed at the sound propagation experienced in the South Bay, because there have been multiple outdoor concerts on the SoFi campus without this issue,” said Butts via a statement released to the public on Aug. 9 “After meeting with representatives from the event promoter and the venue, we conducted a thorough review of the modifications and changes made between Saturday and Sunday of HARD Summer, specifically in response to noise complaints from neighboring communities.
THe HARD Summer Music Festival was held outside SoFi Stadium at American Airlines Plaza which doesn’t require the City to issue a special events permit for stages to be erected there.
In accordance with its development agreement with the city, “SoFi is entitled, “by right”, to host a wide range of events inside their venue without need for a special permit. However, all events in the parking lot area do require review and approval by the City’s Permits and License Committee to insure proper operating parameters are in place for public safety, health and convenience.”
The development agreement also exempts the property from the City’s noise ordinance under the Inglewood Municipal Code (IMC).
Under IMC Section 5-24.2 Noise Regulations in the SE Sports and Entertainment Overlay Zone the property is allowed to exceed noise limits.
“The provisions of this Article shall not apply to the construction of a Sports and Entertainment Complex within the SE Overlay Zone, and shall not apply to the operation of a Sports and Entertainment Complex within the SE Overlay Zone for any permitted events or activities, which events or activities shall be permitted to generate noise levels in excess of those otherwise permitted in this Article, so long as noise exceeding the limits in Article 2 does not extend beyond twelve a.m.”
According to the City, the general manager of the property verbally suggested they would no longer allow staging at the American Airlines Plaza which was not officially recorded in the current development agreement through a public vote.
“It was determined that the stage placement in the American Airlines Plaza, which is elevated, was a major contributor to the issue. Consequently, no stages will be permitted in this area for future events. Additionally, we will require even greater sound engineering with a more comprehensive plan when it comes to addressing sound and bass frequency management.”
The City has had five outdoor music festivals since SoFi Stadium opened, with noise complaints being generated by Inglewood residents particularly those living in the immediate vicinity of the Hollywood Park campus that have not resulted in the sweeping changes the mayor suggested the City will now undertake to address the noise complaints.