TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft ordinance for a
one-year pilot program to standardize entertainment hours and establish tiered operating conditions in a Downtown Dining and Entertainment District. (Districts 1,2)
DISCUSSION
On June 21, 2005, the City Council requested City staff to work with the Downtown
Long Beach Associates (DLBA), homeowner associations and other stakeholders to
develop consistent hours and operating conditions for the businesses required to have
an entertainment permit located in the downtown area. Such standardization was
thought to be possible through the establishment of a Downtown Dining and
Entertainment District (the District). In addition, the District should provide a safe
environment that benefits visitors and retail and entertainment venues while ensuring
quality of life for residents who might be impacted by the enhanced hours and operating
conditions of the District.
The entertainment venues on Pine Avenue are recognized throughout Southern
California and compare favorably with San Diego’s Gas Lamp District, the 3rd Street
Promenade in Santa Monica and Old Town Pasadena. However, since each Pine
Avenue entertainment permit was brought before the City Council as a separate item
over the course of the past 20 years, many of the entertainment venues have different
approved hours and operating conditions. Over this time, unique circumstances
resulted in 42 different conditions affecting hours and conditions of operation. As a
result of many meetings with downtown stakeholders the last few months, a proposed
pilot program is recommended for City Council approval in order to standardize
entertainment hours and operating conditions.
As requested, City staff convened frequent meetings with the DLBA, stakeholders,
residents and the Police Department. Central to the theme of the meetings was that the
District should create competitive parity between the Pine Avenue entertainment venues
and those in the Pike and S...
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