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File #: RES PH 25-62    Version:
Type: Resolution-Public Hearing Status: Passed
In control: City Council
Final action: 5/14/2025
Title: Approving the application of Breakaway Music Festival for a sound level variance in order to present amplified sound on June 6 through June 7, 2025 at 400 Snelling Avenue North - Allianz Field Grounds. (Public hearing continued from April 23, 2025)
Sponsors: Anika Bowie
Ward: Ward - 1
Attachments: 1. Application, 2. ENS#1, 3. Map, 4. Owner Notification, 5. Owners List, 6. Letter to Applicant, 7. Packet from applicant, 8. Union Park District Council public comment, 9. 4.24 public comments, 10. 4.25 public comments, 11. 4.30 public comment, 12. 5.8 public comment, 13. 5.12 public comment, 14. Applicant letter 5.13.25, 15. 5.13 public comments, 16. 5.14 public comments
Title
Approving the application of Breakaway Music Festival for a sound level variance in order to present amplified sound on June 6 through June 7, 2025 at 400 Snelling Avenue North - Allianz Field Grounds. (Public hearing continued from April 23, 2025)
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 293 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code was enacted to regulate the subject of noise in the City of Saint Paul; and

WHEREAS, §293.09 provides for the granting of variances from the sound level limitations contained in §293.07, upon a finding by the City Council that full compliance with Chapter 293 would constitute an unreasonable hardship on the applicant, other persons or on the community; and

WHEREAS, Breakaway Music Festival, represented by Jarrod Fucci, Breakaway Music Festival President, who has been designated as the responsible person on the application, has applied for a variance, on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7, 2025 for various sound level limits, as noted in the Table, below, of 95 dBA at 125 feet to 103 dBA at 125 feet over a span of hours from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. on a Main Stage, and a request for sound level limits of 96 dBA at 100 feet to 101 dBA at 100 feet over a span of hours from 4:00 p.m. until 9:40 p.m. on a Secondary Stage, with a 100 dBA at 125 feet from the sound source requested sound level limit and distance during pre-event sound checks on Thursday, June 5, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7, 2025 to present amplified sound for the Breakaway Music Festival 2025 - Minnesota at 400 Snelling Ave N - Allianz Fields grounds to the north and northeast of Allianz Field; and

Breakaway Minnesota Music Festival Original 2025 Requested Sound Level Limits and Distance:

Main Stage Request Secondary Stage Request

Time Requested ...

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Date NameDistrictOpinionCommentAction
5/14/2025 4:58 PMG. Engelen Against I'm against. Would any city employee want to work in a work environment with these high amounts of decibels. No!! It's against OSHA and labor law to work under these conditions and so it should be against the law to live and be exposed under these conditions. DSI does lip service to the community--"wait and stall" until the event is over. Cl***ic--all for the almighty dollar.
5/14/2025 3:07 PMD Engelen Against The requested noise variance for the sake of “economic activity” and “customer experience” comes at the expense of St Paul taxpayers’ and citizens’ rights to a healthy environment and enjoyment of their property. By imposing excessive noise on thousands in the surrounding neighborhoods, festival organizers externalize costs and extract wealth. The DSI proposed noise limits already exceed by more than tenfold levels that damage hearing; increasing noise limits further as requested by the organizers is unconscionable. I beseech the City Council to keep St Paul livable for the citizens and taxpayers they represent and to reject any limits higher than those proposed by the DSI. Thank you. +1
5/10/2025 8:38 PMKC Cox Against After the Breakaway concert last year and the disappointing way the city handled the noise complaints from the various neighborhoods, I am opposed to this noise variance request for this year, unless the City of St Paul and DSI can agree to oversight of someone other than the applicant. I believe the variance request is too high. 95 dbl at 100 feet until 9:00 pm, at 100 dbl at 100 feet later 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm. There is no mention of oversight. DSI needs to be on sight as well as police with dbl measuring devices. If complaints are made, then there has to be an authority that will get them to turn it down. Last year, complaints were made and there was no authority who would step in. So, unless the City and/or DSI is willing to be an on sight authority, I am opposed to this event. The lack of neighborhood notification was terrible. Union Park District CLUED committee had opposed this variance, but here it is on council agenda. +3