Mimi's in the Marigny now has the proper permit for live music, but like any Not In My Backyard saga, it doesn't end there. For those not in the know, the hoppin' neighborhood bar/tapas joint that hosted live music and DJ acts (without the correct paperwork, oops) did obtain a temporary permit earlier this year, as did many bars around town after the city-wide crackdown. But then Mimi's found itself in the center of a lawsuit after a group of neighbors brought up noise ordinance violations, zoning issues, and claims that Mimi's was messing with their home values. Now that the mayoralty permit was issued to Mimi's this week, the neighbors that crafted the lawsuit aren't quieting down. According to Alison Fensterstock's nola.com article, a commenter posting as Lorelei Cropley, the lead plaintiff in the case, who claims to love music but not noise, said her and the neighbors would "fight this, in some way."
As it goes with any juicy slab of neighborhood beef, the comments sections is afire:
– Cropley writes a comment after the NOLA.com piece: "Prior to buying my home, I checked zoning and noise ordinances, which prohibited live and DJ amplified music due to the district. I was not aware of the upstairs nightclub."
– Commenter bluesvills writes, "What is not mentioned is that there are literally 4 bars within 1/2 block of each other. These so-called "neighbors" have to be idiots to see 4 bars and not assume there may be some noise. These neighbors failed to do their due diligence when buying their house and now have buyers remorse. Any NORMAL house buyer would have driven past this corner on a Friday night. And lastly THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY HAS NOT GONE DOWN. IT HAS GONE UP!"
– Published yesterday by Hear The Music, Stop The Noise: "We have documented the noise violations of this nuisance bar and it is clear Mimi's has never attempted to be a good neighbor. This venue has repeatedly said they would blast music to move us out of our houses, which is why we are spurred to action."
– To which commenter SikofSuburbanDumbs calls Cropley out, "I am neither a fan of music, Mimi's, or you, just somebody who thinks dishonesty is a horrible policy. If you have not seen any changes at Mimi's in the last 6 months, you are so far from reality that you can not be taken seriously."
– Back to Cropley: "I stand by the statement because eyewitnesses heard the DJ announce "We hear the neighbors don't like loud music so let's blast them out of their houses."
Besides all of that internet back-and-forth, DJ Soul Sister, who once ruled the roost at Mimi's with her Saturday night HUSTLE dance party, issued a statement this morning. She says she won't be returning to Mimi's (her current HUSTLE get-down is now at the Hi-Ho on St. Claude Avenue, by the way). "I want the neighbors who sued Mimi's In The Marigny to leave Mimi/Mimi's alone. Deep down inside, I know it was HUSTLE Saturdays that the few neighbors in question had a problem with." She writes that at one neighborhood association meeting, a neighbor said she never would have moved next door to a "jazz disco place" if she had known beforehand. But Soul Sister aka Melissa Weber, being the proper lady that she is, still extends an invite to the neighbors and lawyer who sued Mimi's. "They are invited and more than welcome, as long as they understand I will always keep it soulful."
· Mimi's in the Marigny quietly secures permit for live entertainment, after a lengthy process [NOLA.com]
· Residents will sue to fight illegal live entertainment "mayoralty permit" issued to Mimi's in the Marigny [Hear The Music Stop The Noise]
· A Statement from DJ Soul Sister regarding Mimi's in the Marigny [DJ Soul Sister]
· Live music permit crackdown unplugs entertainment at two popular New Orleans bars [NOLA.com]
· Other noise ordinance news [Curbed NOLA]
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