Calgary councillor wants developers building near live music venues responsible for mitigating sound

Calgary city council has unanimously passed a notice of motion to continue debating how to protect live music, arts, and cultural venues from future noise complaints tied to new developments.

The move was prompted by growing concerns about the future of the Ship & Anchor pub on 17th Avenue amid a new development that would place residents living above the long-standing venue and its popular patio.

Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark is calling for an “agent of change” policy that would make developers responsible for managing noise when building next to existing live music venues. Clark says the goal is to prevent a familiar cycle in which new residents move into buildings marketed for their proximity to nightlife, only to file noise complaints that threaten the venues’ operations.

“What I’m attempting to do is bring forward hopeful changes to the bylaw that will assist us in identifying who’s responsible,” Clark said. “If you’re going to move in next to an existing venue, let’s make sure that we’re clear on what you’re responsible for and how to mitigate that.”

A development permit submitted to the city outlines Strategic Group’s plan to add floors on top of the existing building housing the Ship & Anchor and redevelop the neighbouring property with new residential units.

The venue says it has seen this pattern before where developers promote nearby live music as an amenity, but fail to design buildings with proper soundproofing.

“Then after a few months of normal operations, the nearby businesses start getting noise complaints, every single night, over and over again, until they are forced to shut down,” the Ship wrote on its website.

Nicola Trolez, the Ship & Anchor’s director of operations, says noise mitigation is at the heart of their concern.

“Our fears are really about noise mitigation,” she says. “It isn’t going to be a successful situation to have residents on top of a live music venue unless the building is built with proper noise attenuation.”

“Councillor Clark actually got in touch with us.”

Clark says other cities offer useful models.

“A wonderful example that we’ve used a number of times, I think in Toronto, if you’re to engage in building something, a development in or around music, arts or culture within 120 meters, then it triggers certain policy reviews,” he said. “We could potentially set obligation, what does mitigation of noise look like? How do we soundproof appropriately?”

Public reaction has been strong, with many Calgarians expressing support for preserving the Ship & Anchor as a live music venue.

Residents who spoke to CityNews say the proposed development could “ruin the patio” or diminish a cultural hotspot. Others say the city already lacks enough live music venues and should add more, rather than risk the ones it has.

While the executive committee’s vote does not immediately change any rules, it formally launches the process of determining whether future developers, rather than existing venues, should be responsible for sound mitigation when building nearby.

The mayor supports the move, calling cultural spaces essential to Calgary’s identity.

“We need to invest in this essential infrastructure and support this infrastructure, just like any water main, just like roads or transportation infrastructure,” Mayor Jeromy Farkas said. “Relatively low-cost way for us to be able to really try and protect Calgary’s status as one of the hippest places to be in terms of the arts, cultural and creative sectors.”

The motion will now head to a full council meeting for further debate.