SAN MARCOS, Texas — Community members in San Marcos are stepping up to save the live music venue at Tantra.
The efforts come as the city of San Marcos is currently trying to change maximum noise levels on their permits.
“People love this place, and they want to keep it around,” said Tantra's owner Jeff Colasurd.
The city’s planning and zoning commission wants to renew Colasurd’s three-year conditional use permit, requiring nothing louder than 60 decibels.
“If that 60 decibels were the law of the land for us, like this business is done,” Colasurd said. “It’s over.”
KVUE took a noise meter to Tantra around 11:30 Friday morning. Levels were already reading from the mid-60s and up to 80 decibels just from conversation and laughter inside the coffeehouse. It was a shock for Colasurd to find out the level the city is trying to change it to.
“It was also a frustration that this group of people who unanimously voted on it did not, or do not understand what a decibel is, and how loud a decibel is, and how little 60 is,” Colasurd said.
The coffeehouse’s previous permit allowed them to play live music until 10:30 p.m. with a decibel level of 85 before 10 p.m. and 75 decibels after that. As one of the few live music venues left in San Marcos, the regulars say it’s crucial to keep this staple of the community around.
“If you take away the place for people to go to celebrate in ... a good, positive environment, then you’re taking away the special things,” said Eric Morales, who's a regular at Tantra.
Every Wednesday, the coffeehouse hosts a fan-favorite, Bluegrass night, as well as Songwriter night every other Monday. Allison Worley said she brings her 3-year-old son every week to Bluegrass night.
“He loves to sit and listen to bluegrass and watch them play really fun instruments,” Worley said.
Worley said she would be devastated if they had to stop their live music because Tantra is one of the only places she can bring her son.
“We would have maybe very few ... very few places to go with our kids,” said Worley. “Like maybe Railyard, maybe like Hat Creek and that’s it. None of those places usually have shows at a time where he can enjoy it.”
Colasurd said providing a family-friendly atmosphere is also another reason they are fighting to keep their live music venue open for the community.
“We’re also a place where you don’t have to come in and drink,” Colasurd said. “We serve coffee, we serve a lot of nonalcoholic drinks as well.”
With no warnings or noise citations from the police, Colasurd had to pay $750 to appeal the new permit the city is trying to approve. Colasurd said the only complaints they’ve received are from one person, so he is shocked at the city's decision.
“The police have been called out here by the same person, and every time that they've come out, they have found we're well within our limits,” Colasurd said. “I felt kind of picked on because if you go down to the square, it’s loud down there.”
According to Colasurd, they are always working proactively with musicians and sound engineers to keep the levels under compliance. Tuesday night, the city is set to hold a hearing on Tantra’s conditional use permit. Many passionate customers are planning on speaking and have already been sending emails to city leaders to keep the music around.
Tantra is hoping the community’s connection to this place will keep the music going for years to come.