San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini confirmed Monday that he is considering several requests from residents and merchants in Old San Juan to change closing times for business establishments during the upcoming San Sebastián Street Festival.

Santini said that since he took office nine years ago he has been receiving complaints from local residents that during the hugely popular traditional celebration they cannot come and go from their homes. The mayor recently signed a municipal ordinance ordering the closure of establishments at midnight.

Still, there has been a “reiterated and insistent complaint” about the situation in the Old City and calls for the hours of the yearly festival to be further limited “because it’s impossible [for residents] to come and go from their homes on those days,” he said, without detailing what new hours he is considering.

He added that he is working on a “series of measures to amend the ordinance and reach a consensus among all parties.”

“Several merchants approached us and presented the complaint. I told them … I began to prepare a list of additional measures as part of amendments to that order, which include a restructuring of the schedule.”

On Tuesday, Santini will meet with a work team to evaluate alternate closing hours on different days of the event.

Meanwhile, the mayor also said the monthly “Noches de Galería” would also return to Old San Juan, although the way to control the consumption of alcoholic beverages is still under evaluation.

“We have had some conversations with some gallery owners and what we propose now is reinstituting the event, but without the liberalism with drink [that] is causing us problems and attracts a public that doesn’t patronize galleries,” he said.

Santini said the gallery night event could begin again in February.