SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
VLLC AGENDA
APRIL 18, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: March 6, 1996
Dept. File No.2182IC.COV
TO: Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission
FROM: Deputy Chief License Inspector
SUBJECT: 2714 Prince Edward Street - Musart Cultural Society
Class 'E' Concert Hall
CONSIDERATION
A. THAT the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission endorse the
request by the Musart Cultural Society (The Glass Slipper) for
a Class 'E' Concert Hall liquor license at 2714 Prince Edward
Street, having considered community opinion determined as a
result of neighbourhood notification.
OR
B. THAT the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission advise the
Liquor Control and Licensing Branch it does not endorse the
request by the Musart Cultural Society (The Glass Slipper) for
a Class 'E' Concert Hall liquor license at 2714 Prince Edward
Street, having considered community opinion determined as a
result of neighbourhood notification.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services submits the choice of A
or B for CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On March 23, 1993, Council adopted a policy to consider, on a case-by-
case basis, requests from non-profit arts organizations seeking
Council's endorsement towards obtaining a Provincial liquor license
without going through the referendum process, based on the results of
the preliminary application notification.
PURPOSE
Musart Cultural Society is requesting a City Council resolution
endorsing its application for an Class 'E' Concert Hall at The Glass
Slipper, 2714 Prince Edward Street.
BACKGROUND
The Musart Cultural Society is a non-profit society which operates The
Glass Slipper, a cultural centre for the creative and contemporary
performing, visual and literary arts for the community. The proposed
patron capacity is 130 seats and the hours of operation are from 6:00
p.m. to 2:00 a.m., seven nights a week, with an occasional matinee
between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Glass Slipper provides
a venue for local and international creative contemporary musicians and
artists, and approximately 10,000 people a year, of all ages and
cultural backgrounds, attend performances.
The subject premises are located in the C-3A zoning district. The
surrounding area consists of a mix of commercial, multiple family
residential and one-family dwellings. The closest residential premises
are located directly behind the Musart Cultural Society building and on
the north side of East 11th Avenue. The Kingsway corridor, along with
Broadway and Main Street, consists of mostly commercial development with
office, retail, restaurants and service establishments, and a number of
automotive dealerships. Kingsgate Shopping Centre is located
approximately one block north of the subject site.
There are nine religious centres, four schools, three parks, two
hospitals, two boys and girls clubs, two alcohol and drug counselling
centres and one family centre within the survey area
(Appendix A).
There is one Class 'C' Cabaret (148 seats), one Class 'A' Pub (300
seats), two Class 'A' Lounges -- one in the Biltmore Hotel and the other
is a private club -- (total 325 seats) and approximately 38 licensed
restaurants. The area is served by a government liquor store at the
Kingsgate Shopping Centre, 370 East Broadway.
COMMENTS
The Police Department does not oppose this application as the premises
have been operating with Special Occasion Licenses for over a year, with
few problems.
The Environmental Health Division advises that currently the premises
are operating without a valid health permit. An application has now
been made and approval of the permit is being withheld until adequate
glass washing equipment is provided, in accordance with the Vancouver
Health By-law. Depending upon the type of entertainment, consideration
should be given to possible noise complaints from neighbouring
residents.
The Planning Department advises that the present approved use for the
building on this site is a social club with ancillary storage. "Hall"
is a "conditional" use in this district and a proposal to change the use
of this building would require a Development Permit Application.
The Social Planning Department is in support, as the Glass Slipper is an
important alternate performance venue for many of the city's artists.
As the applicant is a non-profit cultural organization, the Office of
Cultural Affairs asks that it be exempt from the referendum
requirements.
The Housing Centre has no comments.
The Vancouver School Board advises that the administrator of nearby
Nightingale School expressed strong opposition to more liquor licensed
establishments in the area. The proposal will not improve existing
difficulties at the school caused by patrons of nearby licensed
facilities.
CONCLUSION
This type of application is generally supported by staff and the arts
community. There are some concerns with this particular application
related to the close proximity of residential and the alcohol and drug
abuse problems which exist in this neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood response to the notification will provide the
Commission with a sense of the community feeling related to this liquor
license application.
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