Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission

FROM:

Chief License Inspector

SUBJECT:

1240 Thurlow Street - Oasis Restaurants Ltd.
Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub

 

CONSIDERATION

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council policy requires that new liquor license applications and amendments to existing licenses be subject to a referendum if the premises are located in close proximity to residential accommodation.

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.

PURPOSE

Oasis Restaurants Ltd., is requesting a Council resolution endorsing their application for a 65-seat and 20-seat patio Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub with off-premise sales at 1240 Thurlow Street.

BACKGROUND

The applicant has previously operated a restaurant at this location, which is directly above Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Thurlow and Davie Streets.

The proposed pub will offer typical pub entertainment such as dedicated games area with pool table or dartboard, television monitors and quiet background music by way of a pianist or guitarist. The pub will also have a fairly extensive food menu and cater to residents and business people of the West End. The applicant is applying for an off-premises sales endorsement to allow retail sales of beer, wine and coolers.

The proposed hours of operation will be from Sunday to Wednesday 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight and Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Staff notes, however, that Liquor Control & Licensing Branch policy recommends 1:00 a.m. closing only on Friday and Saturday. The existing restaurant on the main floor of this building operates 24-hours a day. The applicant has indicated that management will be instructed to try and make patrons aware of the necessity to be quiet at departure time.
Neighbourhood pubs of this size typically do not create policing issues relative to other primarily liquor service establishments. The proposed pub will not meet the Liquor Control & Licensing Branch one mile proximity requirement. However, relaxation of this requirement is at the discretion of the General Manager, Liquor Control & Licensing Branch.

The subject premises are located in a C-5 (West End) zoning district. The surrounding area is a mixture of retail, restaurants, office, institutional, cabaret, hotel and multi residential uses. There is a significant amount of residential apartments in the area (Appendix A). The nearest residential building is located directly west across Thurlow Street and directly south across the rear lane.

There are two Class ‘C’ Cabarets (545 seats), two Class ‘A’ Lounges (131 seats) one proposed Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub (65 seats and 20 seat patio) and 25 licensed restaurants in the survey area. The closest provincial government liquor store is located at 1155 Bute Street and there is an estate wine store at 1034 Davie.

DISCUSSION

This is the second application for a Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub on the 1000 block of Davie Street. One application at 1025 Davie Street is pending the successful completion of a public referendum. The 1000 block of Davie presently contains 545 cabaret seats and, if approved by the Liquor Control & Licensing Branch, an additional 65 plus 20-seat patio neighbourhood pub seats. If both neighbourhood pubs are approved, this would result in four primarily liquor service establishments consisting of 675 liquor licensed seats on this block. It should also be noted that under the proposed provincial liquor changes, all four of the facilities on this block could apply to increase seating to the fire capacity.

Staff notes that should both of the proposed pubs ultimately receive all the required approvals and open, then this block would have similarities to a single block in the Granville Entertainment District. Concerns have been expressed to staff and the Commission regarding safety issues for community members attending clubs along Granville Street. The community expressed a preference for the location of pubs away from the entertainment area

COMMENTS

The Police Department has no major concerns with this application. However, the area where the pub is to be located attracts a large number of street kids and panhandlers who are a cause of concern by area residents and business owners. The applicant should be aware of and address the likelihood of them migrating to the front of the pub.

The Planning Department notes that the site is located within the C-5 West End Commercial Zoning District. The existing building is approved for a Restaurant-Class 1 on the first floor (1098 Davie Street) and a social club with an ancillary restaurant on the second floor (1240 Thurlow Street).

Neighbourhood Public House is listed as a “conditional” approval use in the C-5 and C-6 Districts Schedule, having particular regard to parking, vehicular circulation, compatibility with surrounding uses and noise control. Any proposal to change the use to provide a Neighbourhood Public House would require a development application.

As part of the review process, staff would include an assessment of the anticipated impact on neighbouring sites, in particular the residential uses in the RM-5A zoned area located immediately to the south of the site. An application of this type would be reviewed in accordance with the provisions of all relevant by-laws, including the Parking By-law and the Neighbourhood or Marine Public House Guidelines, adopted by Council on August 9, 1998.

The Environmental Health Division of the Vancouver-Richmond Health Board reports that considering the already high traffic and busy environment of this area, a Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub should not greatly compound the overall noise ambience. Issues to consider and evaluate are the acoustical quality of the building if the pub has live musical entertainment and the potential for complaints from the immediate residents on Thurlow Street concerning noise from departing or the gathering of patrons at the parking lot at closing time.

The Social Planning Department and Housing Centre have no comments.

CONCLUSION

The application is for a 65-seat and 20-seat patio Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub, which meets Davie Street area zoning requirements. There is a significant amount of residential in close proximity to the proposed site and community impact issues may be compounded by the number of liquor premises on this block. Small neighbourhood pubs generally do not raise major concerns, but there may be some impacts related to noise, with patron dispersal and the patio identified as areas of concern. Therefore, to mitigate potential impacts of the patio, it is recommended that it close by 11:00 p.m.

The results of the neighbourhood notification process, which will be provided at the Commission meeting, will give Council further input as to whether this use will be supported by the community.

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