SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A three-day music festival at Golden Gate Park in August is expected to draw an estimated 160,000 attendees — as well as the usual neighborhood concerns about noise levels and traffic congestion.

The Outside Lands Festival, organized by Bay Area promotion group Another Planet Entertainment, will feature headlining acts Radiohead, Tom Petty and Jack Johnson over the course of three nights on Aug. 22-24.

The festival has been permitted to test the viability of Golden Gate Park hosting evening events, according to Recreation and Park Department spokeswoman Rose Marie Dennis, who said this will be the concert event at the Polo Fields that includes nighttime performances.

“All the preparations have been put in place for this to be a successful event,” Dennis said. “We conducted community outreach to make sure the locals in the area are OK with it, and they are, at least to this point.”

Ron Miguel of the neighborhood group Planning Association for the Richmond, said Rec and Park officials have been diligent in their communication with the neighborhood, but local residents are still uneasy about the event.

“There are some concerns about this being a three-day deal and the lateness of the hours,” Miguel said. “It should be interesting to see how this impacts the neighborhood, especially with all the traffic expected to flow into the area.”

Concerts, and the ensuing noise complaints, are nothing new to the residents surrounding Golden Gate Park. In 2006, neighborhood concerns resulted in The City establishing a maximum noise level — 105 decibels — at Sharon Meadow, a common locale for summer music concerts.

There are no such limits for the Polo Grounds, but a park ranger will be monitoring the noise, Dennis said. San Francisco Police Department guidelines require that sounds be inaudible beyond 250 feet beyond the boundaries of an event.

Cole Valley resident Martin Macintyre has been fighting for years for more enforcement on noise levels at Golden Gate Park.

“The park is meant to be a quiet refuge from the city,” Macintyre said. “No politicians will listen to our complaints though, because if we question the use of the park we’re considered the party poopers.”

Fees from the concert will net the Recreation and Parks Department a guaranteed $100,000, and possibly as much as $500,000 depending on the concert’s turnout, Dennis said.

Each day of the festival will run from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with stages being held at Speedway and Lindley Meadows, along with the nightly events at the Polo Fields.

Representatives from Another Planet Entertainment would not comment publicly about the concert. Ticket information has not been announced.

wreisman@examiner.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

7:06 AM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008 re: "In-line skating event concerns roll forth"

Examiner Reader said:
Mr Miles (the founder of the California Outdoor Rollerskating Association) has been into his own self agrandisment for many years, all in the claim of what **HE** does for inline skating. Now his true colors show. A significant event that is not under his control is planned and he is saying how evil it is. If he was running it, there would be press releases (like his usual) extoling the virture of HIS work.

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8:47 PM MST on Sun., Apr. 6, 2008 re: "Planting meters may save jobs"

Examiner Reader said:
No meters in the park! Can't we preserve at least one place in SF where time doesn't equal money, where we don't have to watch the clock and can just relax for a while?

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12:19 PM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008 re: "Planting meters may save jobs"

On the Q.T. said:
Regarding Meters in Golden Gate Park: It's predicted that the meters in G.G. Park will generate $250,000. What would be easier? Digging all those holes and nickel and diming families, or cutting $250,000 in the City's wasteful overtime spending?

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8:17 AM MST on Sun., Mar. 23, 2008 re: "Car-free Saturdays near"

Examiner Reader said:
Those involved also agreed not to debate the issue again for five years, according to Andrew Thornley, program manager with the bicycle coalition. Andy, I assume you have now stopped smoking, or at least while you are enjoy Healthy Saturdays in the park right? Oh wait, smoking is already not allowed in the park...you will have to use a patch if you plan to enjoy your Saturdays riding in GG park.

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12:47 PM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008 re: "Car-free Saturdays near"

Examiner Reader said:
This city is heading in the wrong direction when a small vocal group of people can dictate their needs over others. I live near the park and every Sunday I deal with the lack of parking in my neighborhood because of the park closure on Sunday. But that was okay because it only happened on one day of the weekend. It seemed fair. Those wanting to drive into the park with their children, picnic supplies, etc could do so on Saturday. Well I guess that's gone. Thanks for being greedy and assuming your way is the "right" way. And we should all bend to it. Just think about it. Why is one way (closing both days) fair?

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4:14 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 12, 2008 re: "Alleged embezzlement may cost ex-CFO house"

Examiner Reader said:
is that ALL he may lose??

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6:51 PM MST on Fri., Mar. 7, 2008 re: "Music fest to rock Polo Fields"

Examiner Reader said:
I also live across the street from the park, 10 minutes on foot from Speedway Meadow,and I also am hearing for the first time about the concert. Depending on wind direction, persistent noise from events is disturbing, definitely NOT "inaudible." Worse, though, the neighborhood traffic and bad behavior is terrible: exactly as the previous poster describes. If people behave so badly in the day, what are they going to be like at night?!? And parking is a serious issue. If the concerts don't end until 10pm, residents can't even go out for the day to avoid them, because there will be no place to park when we come back. I enjoy events in the park, but the bigger they get, the worse they get.

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11:38 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 7, 2008 re: "Music fest to rock Polo Fields"

Examiner Reader said:
I live across the street from the park in the vicinity of the Polo Fields and this is the first I've heard of any concert. I certainly was not part of any "outreach" if there was any. When these events take place the people who live nearby are subjected to noise, trash and property destruction. People scream and yell coming and going, throw crap on the street and trample lawns and flowers; after one of these events a newly planted (and expensive) tree was vandalized beyond saving. You can't go anywhere in your car because you will have no place to park upon your return. They will say they contacted neighborhood organizations and got their blessing but the majority of residents on both sides of the park do not belong to them. Is the PAR getting something out of this because the residents of the neighborhood certainly are not.

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