GOLDEN, Colo. — The City of Golden is turning down the volume on street performers in the downtown area after the city council unanimously passed an ordinance restricting amplified outdoor music.
The new ordinance defines amplified music as any music played through sound equipment, such as speakers or microphones.
This means the gig is up for musicians like Maya Ogea.
The rising star got her start playing in downtown Golden at the age of 14.
“I was heartbroken to hear [about the ordinance]. It really hurts my heart to hear that that opportunity will be taken away from [kids]," she said.
Ogea is moving to Nashville soon to pursue her music career, and said performing in Golden was instrumental in her development as an artist.
"The fact that I was able to do it was amazing, and knowing the next generation won't be able to do it afterwards just breaks my heart,” she said.
Passersby told Denver7 the upcoming change saddens them.
“That’s not good, because people enjoy it. It’s beautiful music for the people,” said Littleton resident Faye Pousti, who stopped by to enjoy Ogea’s performance.
City leaders say the changes are aimed at protecting the community’s peace.
City documents from earlier this summer show Golden Chief of Police Joe Harvey informing city leaders about complaints from business owners, who stated that some street performers were being too loud.
The current municipal ordinance requires outdoor music to be at or below 65 decibels.
Harvey said enforcement efforts were not working.
Officers would contact those performers in question, asking them to turn down the volume. Still, business owners reported that those requests were ignored as soon as the officers left the area.
The musicians Denver7 spoke to for this story say they're not part of the problem. However, they feel they're now having to pay the price for those who didn't listen.
“I've tried speaking to the council before sending several emails out, and it just, you know, yeah,” said Ogea.
Another musician, Chris Popovich, echoed those sentiments.
“I always ask if I’m too loud and people regularly tell me to turn [it] up and I tell them that there are businesses here and I don’t [want to] turn up,” Popovich told city leaders during public comment.
The new rule won't apply to special events or music played on private properties, such as restaurants.
Performances without speakers will still be allowed, but Popovich said it’s not the same.
“By passing this ordinance, you’re taking away my ability to play music for people on the street. I also need to use my equipment to record the bass lines for the verse, chorus, and bridge and have it amplified so I can play the guitar along with the looped playback,” he told council members.
City leaders would not speak to Denver7 about the change when we asked at the time of this report.
The ordinance will go into effect in the next few days, but musicians hope it's not too late for the city to change its tune.
“I hope that they will be able to fix something or just, you know, make it clear that we can do it again and bring the culture back to Golden for sure,” said Ogea.
