Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, but now it's more difficult for venues to get necessary permits.

It's not hard to find live music in Austin. And, if you feel like listening to it outside, that's not that hard either.

Thursday, Austin City Council made it more difficult to get the necessary permits.

They said there's a good reason behind the decision.

"We are the Live Music Capital of the World," Council Member Mike Martinez said. "But at the same time, we are a community that has homes and neighborhoods that exist around these venues and we have to be able to live as neighbors alongside each other."

Council is hoping to do that by sending out an inspector to outdoor music venues before a permit is issued.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Music permits News 8’s Reagan Hackleman explains the music permit issue from the council perspective and shares club owners’ concerns.

In the past the situation was a "mess," according to venue owner Paul Oveisi who owns Momo's and is the chair of the Live Music Task Force.

Eventually, the City's Music Department will be in charge of doing the inspections for venues. But, as of right now, the city doesn't have a music department.

"So there's some sense of urgency in getting this created and getting the right person to govern this," Oveisi said.

Once a venue has passed its inspection it will receive a sticker slapped on its door or window.

"That lets any code enforcement official that shows up on the scene know what the decibel levels should read at the property line," Martinez said.

	Guero's Taco Bar owner says if the city enforces a lower decibel level for restaurants, he'll have to close.

For years, the owner of Guero's Taco Bar on South Congress Avenue has kept his outdoor live music at 85 decibels or below.

He said he and the police always thought 85 was the limit. Thursday, he learned since he owns a resturant, 70 decibels is his limit.

"Us just talking standing here, this one is at 80 [decibels]," owner Rob Lippincutt said, as he held not one, but two sound meters in his hand.

"The problem will be if they enforce the 70 decibels then we'll have to close."

That's something council said it's not trying to do with the new ordinance.

"There might be some hardships or special circumstances that we might have to take a look at," Martinez said.

The new rules go into effect immediately. Venues with bands playing for South by Southwest were able to apply for a temporary permit that will expire on the last day of SXSW.

Until the music department is created, Assistant City Manager Sue Edwards will be in charge of issuing permits.