BRADENTON — A dispute over live music at Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen is headed to the Bradenton City Council on Wednesday, and residents from within the Village of the Arts and beyond are tuning in to learn of the hearing’s outcome.
At the center of the issue is whether Cottonmouth, a popular restaurant and live music venue located on 12th Street West within the Village of the Arts (VOTA), should be allowed to continue hosting live music. City officials previously ruled that the music could continue under existing rules, but that decision has now been appealed again by nearby neighbors who also reside in the designated arts and live-work district.
Supporters of the restaurant say the issue goes beyond one business. Cottonmouth’s owner, Dave Shiplett, recently shared a public message on Facebook explaining that he chose to live and work in the Village of the Arts because of its arts-focused, mixed-use, live-work designation, where homes, restaurants, galleries, and performances coexist. In his post, Shiplett said the restaurant has followed city rules and sound regulations and that live music has long been part of the neighborhood’s character…