Party on Robertson Blvd. might get louder

West Hollywood City Council will decide Monday whether to permit bars and restaurants to hold more live outdoor entertainment on Robertson Blvd., testing the patience of some neighbors who’ve already grown tired of the Out on Robertson pilot program.

“PLEASE STOP THE ROBERTSON BOOZE STREET PARTY TAKEOVER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,” resident Kurt Knutsson wrote to City Council ahead of their meeting.

An amendment to the Outzone Permit Program would allow establishments next to residential and commercial zones to have live outdoor entertainment between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. In the Robertson Outzone, the period is longer: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This comes as the city and county are preparing to lift many capacity limits and social distancing requirements on June 15.

There is no stipulation forbidding amplified music in the Robertson Outzone, an issue which is concerning residents of the area.

“I am all for encouraging (the) community by opening up Robertson to pedestrians to socialize, but I see no reason the Abbey needs to take its live entertainment out onto the street,” wrote Bob Shepard. “I would hope the Robertson closure would not simply become an extension for the Abbey.”

“The closure of Robertson does NOT serve our community in any meaningful way,” Knutsson wrote. “In fact, it encourages unsafe behavior, creates traffic problems, disrupts the community by creating a recurring carnival-like atmosphere serving the interests of the retail liquor establishments and not your constituents.”

Crowd size has fluctuated since the Out on Robertson program began. Late Saturday night during Memorial Day weekend, a line of partygoers waiting to enter The Abbey stretched half a block down Robertson Blvd. 

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