A Commonsense Solution for Downtown Music
Downtown Fullerton, tucked in the heart of North Orange County, is a lively crossroads where the buzz of nightlife meets the calm of residential living. Unfortunately, not all of us are college kids eager to party till sunrise and sleep through the aftermath. Some of us — like my family and me — actually need a decent night’s rest to function. Our neighborhood is a quirky blend of bars, restaurants, and single-family homes — charming on paper, but in practice, the nonstop thump of amplified music quickly drowns out the appeal.
The amplified music is constantly disrupting our sleep, even on weeknights when rest is necessary for school and work. This inconvenience is impossible to get used to and negatively impacts our focus, energy, and frankly our wallets thanks to the obscene amount of caffeine it takes to stay functional.
In 2023, then Councilwoman Shanna Charles stepped forward with a practical solution: a curfew on outdoor amplified music. During the week, a 10 PM cutoff would provide much-needed respite, while an 11 PM cutoff on weekends would strike a balance between nightlife and residential needs. After the curfew, bars can continue to play music inside at any volume, preserving the lively atmosphere for patrons without disturbing nearby residents.
As residents, my family and I wholeheartedly support councilwoman Charles’ proposal as we believe that this act would create harmony in the diversity of Fullerton. The proposal recognizes that while nightlife and entertainment are vital to the city’s character and economy, so too are the families, students, and professionals who call this place home. By supporting this initiative, we’re not trying to quiet the city’s energy — we’re simply asking for a balance that lets Fullerton thrive without keeping its residents awake all night.
Let’s come together in support of Councilwoman Charles’s initiative to foster a community where residents and businesses can flourish side by side. Downtown Fullerton deserves a future where its lively spirit and the everyday comfort of its people exist in balance.
The only single family zones near downtown are by Malden and on the other side past Lemon. Neither of which are anywhere close to bars or late night restaurants
Nice try, but this is clearly bad faith
Single family zones? What does that mean? There are houses on Santa Fe. There is the massive Malden Station. There is the massive Wilshire Promenade, and residential units on the south side of Wilshire.
There’s the massive block on Commonwealth and apartments on the south side of Whiting.
And don’t forget the new, proposed rabbit warren/boutique hotel.
Your comment is bad faith. Or really ignorant.
Beat me to it. There are apartments on the northwest corner of Wilshire and Malden and houses right next to that.
Elijah, listen up! The new “Noise Zone Map” is a disaster waiting to happen, and it’s going to tear apart Oscar Valadez’s and Judith Kaluzni’s neighborhood, smack dab west of Malden and north of Wilshire. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It also sweeps up all the new apartments in DTF, especially the City Point complex, where Mayor Pro-Tem Charles’ family lives. She knows firsthand about the hell of late-night music and the chaos after 10:00PM. The noise levels in Option 1 are not even enforceable, and yet they’re going to turn everyone’s lives upside down. Meanwhile, Option 2 strikes a balance for both businesses and residents, offering a fair solution. But because you’re an idiot tool with an agenda that everyone with half a brain can see, you are still lost in the weeds because you are a loser to the core.
The entire downtown is zoned C3. Commercial/Residential.
Although I rarely see eye to eye with Shawna Charles, her insights on this issue are surprisingly spot on. Over the past three years, I’ve often found her arguments lacking, but this time, she’s struck a balance that genuinely considers the needs of both residents and businesses in DTF. Her experience as a family person living in the area, where many children reside, gives her a firsthand understanding of the challenges we face. This perspective has led her to propose a fair solution, reminding me that it’s crucial to judge each issue on its own merits, even when it comes from someone I usually disagree with. It’s a lesson in effective problem-solving that can come from the most unexpected sources.
Ok, but who do we expect to enforce it?
The Great Nobody?
Stiff competition for that title around here.
Shana can only talk the talk. She will not contribute any constructive elements to Staff’s draft Ordinance. To do so means criticism and that’s not what students like to hear. Hopefully, Mayor Jung will correct the defects and giberish and push this over the goal line.
Shana had a change of heart. Voted it down because she cares about nightclubs and not residents.
No, she doesn’t care about night clubs. She just has to follow the neutered Zahra down is Hole to Nowhere.
She’s up for re-election next year. She squeezed herself in last time with a narrow plurality. 2026 may be a year with an unhappy ending for the Queen of the Bungle.