ATLANTA – Members of the Atlanta’s recording industry are fighting city legislation they believe would stunt what they call a struggling industry.
The ordinance, sponsored by city councilwoman Felicia Moore, would require new recording studios to stay 500 feet away from residential areas. It also requires adequate soundproofing and permits from the city.
Grammy-winning producer Ben Allen said the ordinance is “unnecessary and overreaching.”
Moore said the ordinance takes aim at a few noisy neighbors in the recording industry.
“On the music industry side, they put in thousands and millions of dollars in sound proofing equipment…so they should be able to operate their business without complaint from neighbors, police knocking at their door or other issues,” Moore said.
Last week, the city's zoning review board shot down the proposal during public hearings. On Wednesday, it heads to the city zoning committee.
The proposal comes after several shootings at area studios this year. On Monday, one man was killed in a shooting at a southwest Atlanta recording studio. In March, rapper Bankroll Fresh was killed outside a studio in southeast Atlanta.
In April, two men were killed at the same studio from Monday night’s shooting.
Moore said an ordinance cannot prevent crime, but can get ahead of it.
“If they don't comply with the permit conditions, you have something you can go after,” Moore said.
"A permit you can remove and then police can make sure something's shut down because they don't have the authority in the city to operate.”
Allen said that while he may not be affected by the legislation, he worries about the next generation.
“That’s good for me, but it doesn't really help the future generation of young people who want to be in Atlanta or come to Atlanta and become creative future studio entrepreneurs,” Allen said.
The meeting with the zoning board is Wednesday morning at 9. Moore says she plans to ask them to hold the ordinance until next year so that she can make some changes. She said she's open to decreasing the 500 foot space if it means studio and neighbors can coexist.
