Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

Chief License Inspector

SUBJECT:

757 Richards Street - Home Investments Ltd.
Class `A' Lounge/Pub With Off Premise Sales

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council policy and practices involve varying procedures, including neighbourhood notification, legal agreements, ranging from housing and operating agreements, to agreements for the permanent closure or relocation of an existing liquor license, or time-limited development permits, depending on the situation.

For existing Class `A' Lounge/Pub, Class `C' Cabaret or Class `D' Neighbourhood Pub licensed establishments seeking extended hours or seating, Council has endorsed a process of requiring a time-limited development permit or a separate legal agreement outlining conditions of operation and a neighbourhood notification.

PURPOSE

Home Investments Ltd., are requesting a Council resolution endorsing the application for a Class `A' Lounge/Pub with off premise sales and a 40-seat patio, to be located on private property, at the Kingston Hotel, 757 Richards Street.

BACKGROUND

The pub area at the Kingston Hotel is currently leased from the applicant, Home Investments Ltd., by Viva Enterprises who hold a Class `A' Pub liquor license. This lease expires at the end of September 2000, and Home Investments Ltd., proposes to take this opportunity to integrate the whole hotel operation and modernise and expand the services offered.

The current licensee will not agree to transfer the existing license and, therefore, Home Investments Ltd., are applying for a license to be held in their company name. In effect, this request is for a replacement license.

Home Investments Ltd., is a family run company that has owned and operated the property since the original hotel was built in 1910. The owners operate a European style budget hotel with breakfast included as part of the service. They propose to completely remodel and modernise the hotel entrances, the area where the existing pub is located and an internal courtyard where the 40-seat patio would be located. At some future date, a separate application may be made to expand the lounge and the food and beverage service to the existing basement. The current entertainment of fully amplified bands would be discontinued and replaced, on occasion, with small groups or a pianist.

The plans for the hotel also include an expanded private dining area for guests and the applicant advises that: "they would like to expand the continental breakfast service and provide a full range of food and beverage services for its hotel customers as well as thoroughly modernise the service offered. They anticipate catering again to a daytime business clientele, providing a conservative and attractive social venue, as well as both a convivial drinking place and serious dining option for visitors and tourists in the evening and at weekends."

The hours of operation for the pub would be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Sunday.

Until June 5th, 2000, Liquor Control and Licensing Branch regulations provided authority for off-sales endorsements for Class `A', `D', `F' or `I' licensed establishments and set conditions including 11:00 p.m. cut off for sales and that the product must be removed from the premises immediately after it is purchased. Since then, Branch regulations have been revised and no more off-premise sales applications will be considered. However, this application was received prior to the revision date and is, therefore, proceeding with the inclusion of off-premise sales.

The applicant intends to comply with the City's Smoking Bylaw and any future Workers' Compensation Board regulations. As such, patio space is a necessary component to facilitate patrons who are smokers. The proposed patio is located in an interior courtyard surrounded by the hotel on three sides and a parkade on the north side. The patio would close by 11:00 p.m.

The subject premises are located in the DD (Downtown) zoning districts. The surrounding area is a mixture of parkade, office, retail, restaurant, hotel and theatre uses (Appendix A).
Also in the 500-foot survey area is one Class `A' Lounge (200 seats), and approximately five licensed restaurants. The closest government liquor store is located at 555 West Hastings Street.

DISCUSSION

The applicant is essentially requesting a replacement liquor license for the existing 145-seat Class `A' Pub which is held by a separate company that is not associated with the property owner. The owner and the existing licensee have been unable to come to terms on the transfer of the existing license. The property owner has advised that the lease with the existing licensee will not be renewed and the lounge/pub operation will be incorporated into the hotel's overall operation.

Normally it would not be necessary for this type of application to be presented to Council.
However, the property owner wishes to add a 40-seat outdoor patio to the license. The outdoor seating does require a Council endorsement. Staff feels that given the proposed inner courtyard location, the fact that the hotel is flanked on each side by a parkade and the 11:00 p.m. closing time, the patio will not impact on the surrounding community. The only potential impact would be on the hotel's own patrons or if the parkade adjacent to the north property line was redeveloped at some point in the future.

COMMENTS

The Police Department has no concerns about the application.

The Planning Department has reviewed this application and notes that the site is located within the Downtown (D) Zoning District, Sub-Area `C'. The existing building on the site is currently approved as a hotel with a neighbourhood public house.

A lounge and a 40-seat patio, to be used in conjunction with a hotel, are considered customarily ancillary uses to a hotel and are permitted under the DD Official Development Plan. However, any proposal to provide these uses would require a development permit application.

As part of the application review, staff would include an assessment of the anticipated impact on neighbouring sites. As well, the review would include an assessment of all applicable provisions of the Parking By-law and Liquor Licensing Policies and Procedures adopted by City Council on October 16 and November 6, 1990.

The Vancouver/Richmond Health Board has concerns over potential noise problems and feel it is important that the type of musical entertainment be clarified. It is recommended that an acoustic assessment be made as a condition prior to any future engagement of amplified bands.

The Social Planning Department advises that there is no social housing or other use in this area which would conflict with the application.

The Housing Centre has no particular concerns about this application.

CONCLUSION

Staff supports the 145-seat Class `A' Lounge/Pub subject to a few conditions, the most important being the cancellation of the existing Class `A' Pub liquor license held by Viva Enterprises Ltd. Staff also supports the addition of the 40-seat patio as it should have little impact on the surrounding community.

ATTACHMENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

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