restaurants » My Ballard

‘Pizza Picolinos’ owners address music fears

Posted by Geeky Swedes on June 1st, 2008

There’s been quite the discussion on two Ballard blogs — At Large in Ballard and right here on My Ballard — about the new restaurant going into Sunset Hill on 32nd between 64th and 65th. It all began when the restaurant, Pizza Picolinos, filed a liquor license that requested clearance for “amplified” live music.

As you might imagine, that got the attention of neighbors in the area. Now the owners have posted an open letter in the Ballard News-Tribune announcing they’ve removed that specific request from the liquor license to put to rest any concerns about loud music. “Our format is for live piano music inside the bar area during cocktail hour and/or similar music during dinner hours on holidays or special occasions,” writes Tom Bailiff and Vipul Shah. “Music, I repeat, whether live or recorded, in the restaurant and garden court yard would be ambient and at a conversation level. We have no desire to have our own voices, nor those of our patron’s dinner conversations drowned out by blaring music.” They said the restaurant is slated to open in August.

Meanwhile, Bailiff and Shah also made a point of criticizing the “rumors, gossip and blogging” surrounding the restaurant, which Peggy Sturdivant does a good job of addressing in this blog post.

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db

Actually that parcel and the surrounding ones along 32nd are zoned NC1-30 (the least intensive of the neighborhood commercial zones, w/ a 30 foot height limit).

It will be interesting to see how this new addition will impact the neighborhood, especially when the outdoor area begins use next summer. I personally look forward to having a beer in the garden.

The real impact is and will continue to be parking, not just on the surrounding residents, but even more on the businesses. NC1 zoning exempts the first 5,000 sq. ft. of restaurant use from parking, but the building is listed at 6,750 sq. ft. and all appears under single management. How is it that no parking was required? Will it be when the cafe and tapas wing is opened?

BTW, nice job on the design.

t. estep, AIA

Sammy,

As architect for the project, let me help clarify your misunderstanding and alarmist speculation on the dining patio (not a beer garden).

The building and garden are properly zoned NC-3. The owner has signed a good neighborhood agreement and complied with all city and municipal codes. There is no "must know someone eh" at all. That was an unkind thing to say.

In all fairness, you CHOSE to live next to a commerical zoned area. In fact, the area north, south, east and west are all zoned NC-3. I'm sure that comes as a complete surprise to you!

Change can be difficult and that is understandable and I sympathize with your concerns. But wait and see. Keep an open mind as well as open eyes and ears and I think you will find this a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Sammy

The neighbors will be keeping an eye (and ear) open for the music volume, especially in the beer garden located in the midst of a residential street. Those of us living on that street opposed the beer garden because, like the most everyone I know, we like to come home after a hard day's work and be able to relax in the quiet of our homes during the evening. Would you like a loud group of people in conversation all evening under your window, never mind "ambient music" being played as well? I doubt it. I don't know how the owners got away with building a beer garden virtually in people's backyards. They must know someone, eh?

Jasmine

Why would the owners criticize the blogs? I bet they learned that neighbors were upset by the "live music" request on their liquor license from a blog. They should be thanking blogs for letting people voice their opinions and providing an outlet for neighbors to speak up.

lakreitz

From time to time, walking on 65th, or the alley just to the south of 65th between 34th and 32nd, I hear someone practising on a drum set. They pound away, making a racket that can be heard from quite a distance. It's been going on for a few years. The drum set neighbors will be neighbors to the new restaurant. They probably will have more luck working with the restaurant to tone down the noise than with the drummer.

John Eddy

I can't believe there's been so much venom against the idea of music being played at this place. I mean, I'm sorry, but not everyone in Sunset Hill is against it.