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.
Shiplett’s post had received over 150 reactions and dozens of comments by Friday afternoon, with commenters encouraging supporters to attend the City Council hearing and speak during public comment.
Opponents of live music at Cottonmouth have raised concerns about noise and neighborhood impacts, while supporters argue that limiting performances could alter the character of the Village of the Arts and set a broader precedent for other local venues. City Council members will hear the appeal in a formal public hearing on January 28 at Bradenton City Hall, located downtown at 101 12th Street West. The meeting is open to the public, and turnout is expected to be higher than usual.
Click here to preview the Bradenton City Council Meeting Agenda for January 28, 2026. The Cottonmouth appeal hearing is agenda item number 7.a., scheduled to be heard at 10 a.m., time certain.
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GoodTimes1
On October 15, 2025 the Planning Commission Chairman asked if this is a “sound issue?” Robin Singer, Planning Director, answered “No.”
Police officers testified that “Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen has been within sound ordinance limits.”
The issue then turned to Land Use. The Planning Director asserted that Cottonmouth was operating an “Auditorium.” This was bizarrely ironic as this meeting was taking place in an actual auditorium with no resemblance to Cottonmouth’s garden dining area.
The Planning Commissioners voted down the assertion that “Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen” is operating an Auditorium, with all five commissioners voting.
The same person who brought this to the Planning Commissioners is now appealing the Planning Commissioners decision. This time the appeal will be heard by The City Councilors. They will decide to uphold the Planning Commissioners ruling, or to over turn the Planning Commissioners October 15th decision. There are no further appeals.
As founding director of the 501 c-3 corporation overseeing the Village Revitalization, I can attest that we have had music for the last 26 years in this “Economic Overlay District”… every Art Walk, every festival, every holiday, and every weekend.
“The Economic Overlay” is an overlay covering the entire 18 block district since 1999. The new “Form Based Code” language about auditorium has absolutely no relevance, as the Economic Overlay supersedes and “overlays” the form based code.
Annie Russini
Founding Executive Director
Saturday, January 24 Report this
gwtenery
I don't "choose" to listen to the music coming out from Cottonmouth southern soul kitchen, I'm "forced" to listen with my backyard being 150 feet from Cottonmouth's.
I, along with my partner are 15 year residents in the Village. I say that because the online warriors have said that if we don't like their opinion, we should move. We pre-date Cottonmouth and both Birdrocks.
We will be making statements at the upcoming City meeting.
Although it is true that all members of the Planning Commission voted, as per Ms. Russini, it was NOT unanimous.
See you there!
Saturday, January 24 Report this
Ladyred4Justice
The "noise" is not the major issue. It is the PARKING. The Concerts have attracted crowds of over a hundred people to his amphitheater. Definition: Purpose: Primarily used for entertainment, including concerts, festivals, and theatrical performances. They feature an open-air design that naturally enhances acoustics and provides clear sightlines for large audiences.
Music has existed in the Village since our inception. However, in most cases they did not interfere with the residents and businesses ability to park our cars and have room for our customers to park.
The problem is not the music itself (although many of us to not like the hillbilly music many of the concerts feature), it is the intrusion into the lives of those of us who live or work here.
Most of the folks who attend his concerts do not visit the galleries in the Village. They might go to the record store across the street but they don't buy the paintings of the artists next door or around the corner. I'm not saying none of them, but very few concert attendees have brought business to the other galleries.
The concerts are NOT the easy listening band that diners would enjoy while eating their dinner, they are concerts. Not the Blues--Bluegrass music. More appropriate for drinking alcohol, beer--lots of beer. Drunks peeing in the bushes. Loud disagreements ringing through the streets. Cops being called far more often than any other business in the Village.
I lived next to this chaos for years until they destroyed the property he was renting and moved on to destroy other structures. Music is welcome in the Village if it is appropriate to the venue, occurs during the permitted hours and stays below the permitted level.
The Cottonmouth is not an appropriate venue for CONCERTS.
At the last meeting over a dozen local residents, the people who this directly affects, opposed the venue being used for concerts. The customers are the supporters. They do not have to live with the results of the decision. The residents do.
I will also be at this meeting to support the Residents of the Village of the Arts.
Dona Lee
20 year resident and gallery owner
Sunday, January 25 Report this
ruthlawler
Cottonmouth Soul Food restaurant is an incredible asset to Village of the Arts and to Bradenton. Dave Shiplett has developed an incredible positive venue for talented, and many reknowned, musicians from all over to come and perform in Bradenton. It takes years to develop these relationships and credibility. Dave Shiplett adheres to the sound ordinances within the City. I remember in the 1990s when Village of the Arts did not exist, and the neighborhood where the Village is now located was falling further into disrepair. When the Village overlay district was created by the City of Bradenton in the late 1990s, the vision was to have an arts and music neighborhood to encourage and support an environment of artists and creative activiies. This was by allowing property owners and residents to have businesses, cafes, studios and music venues. Some may remember Herbie Rose, an incredible artist and early visionary, who was a proponent for the creation of Village of the Arts. Anyone living or working in the Village knows this has been the intent and plan for the Village for over two and a half decades. I highly encourage support Dave Shiplett and the amazing music venue he has created over many years. Dave grew up in Bradenton and came back after culinary school to live and work for the betterment of our City. Please support Dave and Cottonmouth. Ruth Lawler
Sunday, January 25 Report this
di4blues
I would like to address the comments made by Ladyred4Justice. First off, Cottonmouth does not have music every day of the week and the evening shows end at 9:00pm! This is not a late night venue. I and many of my friends regularly attend music shows at Cottonmouth and some of her comments are just blatantly false. She states that drunks are peeing in the bushes, there are loud disagreements ringing through the streets and cops are being called frequently. Cottonmouth has inside restroom facilities and, if there are drunks peeing in the bushes, they are not the patrons of Cottonmouth. Likewise, I have NEVER witnessed fighting or loud arguments among the patrons there. This is a friendly venue and most of us are regular customers who know each other and gather there to listen to music and socialize. We are an older crowd who would not be there if there was fighting or loud arguments. As for cops being called, those calls are exclusively from one neighbor who calls the police during every show and sometimes multiple calls during the same show to complain about the noise from the music, not loud arguments or other issues. The police arrive to check the sound level, which to my knowledge has only been exceeded once since the complaints started many months ago. If anything, this neighbor has been making nuisance calls to the police and should be told to cease and desist. The picture that opponents of music are trying to paint is extreme exaggeration. And lastly, she alleges that patrons of Cottonmouth are not buying from the local artists. Since most shows start at 6:30-7:00pm, there are no galleries open at that hour. I have been frequenting VOTA businesses for over 20 years, mostly during 1st Fri/Sat art walks, when the galleries are actually open.
Diana Daley
Monday, February 2 Report this