Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission

FROM:

Chief License Inspector

SUBJECT:

1098 Davie Street - Pacific Inn Transit Association
Class ‘A’ Liquor License (Social Club)

 

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 new Class ‘A’ Lounge/Pub, Class ‘C’ Cabaret or Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub licensed establishments, Council has endorsed a process of requiring a time-limited development permit and/or a separate legal agreement outlining conditions of operation.

PURPOSE

The Pacific Inn Transit Association is requesting a Council resolution endorsing its application for a Class ‘A’ Social Club liquor license at 1098 Davie Street.

BACKGROUND

This application is for a 125-seat social club for use by all Lower Mainland employees of Trans Link (formerly B.C. Transit), including drivers and administration staff. The employees have access to Class ‘A’ liquor licensed social clubs in other areas of the Greater Vancouver area.

The site of the proposed Social Club is located at the southeast corner of Davie and Thurlow Streets. The second floor of this building is currently occupied by a non-liquor licensed Social Club and an application for a new Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub (1240 Thurlow Street) is before the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission. The main floor is presently occupied as a Class-1 Restaurant (Denny’s Restaurant) and is the proposed location of this application for a new Class ‘A’ Lounge (Social Club) license.

The proposed club will be located on the main floor of the premises presently occupied by Denny’s Restaurant. Lounge type liquor service will be available, along with various leisure activities such as billiards and darts. The kitchen facilities will be maintained to provide a full food menu. The proposed hours of operation are Monday to Saturday 12:00 noon to 2:00 a.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight.

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).

There are two Class ‘C’ Cabarets (545 seats), two Class ‘A’ Lounges (131 seats), two proposed Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pubs and approximately 24 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 Street.

DISCUSSION

This is the third application for a liquor licensed establishment on the 1000 block of Davie Street, and the second application for the same building. An application at 1025 Davie Street is pending, awaiting the successful completion of a public referendum. The 1000 block of Davie Street presently has 545 cabaret seats. If both neighbourhood pubs and this application for a 125-seat Class ‘A’ Social Club are approved, this would result in five primary liquor service establishments consisting of 800 liquor licensed seats and 40 licensed patio seats. (It should also be noted that under the proposed provincial liquor policy changes, all five of the facilities on this block could apply to increase seating to the lessor of the fire capacity or 50 percent of the existing liquor license seating capacity.)

Staff notes that should all three applications ultimately receive the required approvals and open, then this block would have similarities to a single block in the Granville Entertainment District.

Given Council policy, the close proximity of a significant amount of residential and the number of new applications on this particular block of Davie Street, staff recommends that if the Commission supports this application, that in addition to the usual conditions the endorsement be subject to the results of a neighbourhood referendum.

COMMENTS

The Police Department has no major concerns with this application. However, the area where the social club 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 club.

The Planning Department advises that the site is located within the C-5 West End Commercial Zoning District.

The existing building on the site is approved for a Restaurant-Class 1 on the first floor (1098 Davie Street) and a social club with ancillary restaurant on the second floor (1240 Thurlow Street). “Social Club” is listed as an “outright” approval use in the C-5 and C-6 District Schedule. Parking on this site is non-conforming to the Parking By-law and, therefore, any proposal to change the use to provide a social club will require a development permit.

The Environmental Health Division of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board has no noise concern for this location.

The Social Planning Department and the Housing Centre have no concerns with this application.

CONCLUSION

Staff notes that Class ‘A’ Social Clubs generally do not impact on the neighbourhood. However, given the proximity to a densely populated residential area and the number of new liquor license applications on the same block, any Council endorsement should be subject to a referendum, a time-limited development permit and/or legal agreement, the signing of a good neighbour agreement with the City prior to the issuance of the business license, and no exotic entertainment.

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