No more waterfront shows?

[UPDATE 5:50 pm: BrooklynVegan reports the Open Space Alliance is planning to hold both free and ticket shows this year despite the vote, while Brooklyn365 talked to Assemblyman Joe Lentol who says the neighborhood concerns can be resolved without banning the shows]

Last night’s Community Board 1 meeting may have contained a late hidden sneak attack on the summer ritual of concerts at East River State Park on the Williamsburg waterfront (including, until last year at least, the summer-long free Pool Parties). According to Brooklyn 11211, the board voted to ban all future concerts along the waterfront after it heard complaints from residents about the noise and general fustercluck in the streets the crowds cause several times a season. Brokelyn put in a call to CB1 district manager Gerald Esposito to confirm the details, but we haven’t heard back yet. Our CB source says the board’s votes are only advisory, and then go to the applicable city agency before becoming final. It looks bad for the concerts given the board bowing to other noise concerns, but our experience with arcane local government procedures has us hoping this isn’t the final word (you’re usually not supposed to make binding votes on anything that isn’t on the agenda, for instance). We will update when we get more information today. Read more details of last night’s meeting from Brooklyn 11211.