TITLE
Recommendation to receive a report and approve the recommended revisions to the Downtown Dining and Entertainment District (District) outlined in Exhibit B; and
Request City Attorney to draft an ordinance amending Title 5 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC), related to the District, and amending Title 21 of the LBMC related to the definition of nightclubs. (District 2)
DISCUSSION
The Downtown Dining and Entertainment District (District) consists of the area bounded by the north side of Ocean Boulevard, the south side of Third Street, the east side of Pacific and the west side of Long Beach Boulevard, and the areas known as the Pike at Rainbow Harbor and Shoreline Village (Exhibit A - District Boundaries). In 2005, the City Council authorized a pilot program in the District to develop consistent hours and operating conditions for businesses requesting an entertainment permit. In December 2008, the District was established on a permanent basis.
On August 13, 2013, the City Council directed the City Attorney to draft an interim ordinance pursuant to LBMC Chapter 21.50 (“Interim Prohibition of Uses”) initiating a moratorium against the issuance of entertainment permits in the District for businesses under a Type 48 Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) license for a period of one year. The City Council directed the City Manager, along with the Department of Development Services and the Planning Commission, to conduct an evaluation of the policies governing the issuance of entertainment permits in the District during the one-year moratorium. Council requested that the City Manager involve downtown stakeholders in the review process. On August 12, 2014, the City Council extended the moratorium for six-months to allow the downtown stakeholders to complete a public engagement process regarding proposed recommendations.
Following Council direction, the City Manager assembled a diverse task force of downtown stakeholders (task force) to evaluate the current p...
Click here for full text