LA council member seeks moratorium on karaoke rooms around Koreatown

A Los Angeles City Council member is seeking a moratorium on karaoke rooms in Koreatown after residents complained about late-night noise, traffic and other issues. 

"In the last several years, there has been a proliferation of karaoke rooms permitted and opened in the City of Los Angeles, particularly in the densely populated neighborhood of Koreatown," Councilmember Heather Hutt wrote in her motion. 

If passed, the moratorium will last 45 days initially, but it could be extended for an additional year. Hutt's Office said in a statement that they've received 500 Alcoholic Beverage Control applications for the 6.2 square miles of Koreatown

"Our motion to pause new karaoke establishments is just that, a pause," Hutt's office wrote in a statement. "As more and more housing is built in Koreatown, we field calls from constituents who deal with late night noise, traffic, and its related issues."

Hutt's Office said it hopes to use the moratorium to educate existing and prospective karaoke room owners about permitting, construction and their responsibilities. 

"The City has had instances where a business owner built out an establishment with building permits prior to receiving all the appropriate conditional use, alcohol, and live entertainment permits that are required," Hutt's Office wrote. "That can be quite expensive for the owner if the City denies the permits, and this is another issue we want to address."