ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 26, 1999
Author/Local: Mario Lee/6034
Guy Gusdal/6461
RTS No. 1131
CC File No. 2611Council: December 14, 1999
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
Chief License Inspector in consultation with the
Director of Community Services, Social Planning, and the
Director of Current PlanningSUBJECT:
Liquor License Review for the West End and CBD
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council endorse the review time line and process, for the development of liquor licensing policy in the West End and the Central Business District, as outlined on this report.
B. THAT the resources and budget for the West End review, identified on this report, at a total cost of $25,500 be approved: funding to be provided in the 2000 Operating Budget.
C. THAT the resources and budget for the Central Business District review, identified on this report, at a total cost of $15,000 be approved: funding to be provided in the 2000 Operating Budget.
GENERAL MANAGERS COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B and C.
COUNCIL POLICY
· There is no comprehensive Council liquor license policy for the West End and the Central Business District (CBD). To date applications in these areas have been assessed on a case by case basis using established Council policy and practices which are described as follows:
1. New or amendments to a Class A Lounge or Pub in a major hotel developments, Class C cabaret, class E Concert Hall/Stadium and Class F Marine Pubs are subject to legal agreements, a good neighbour agreement, neighbourhood notification and for specific situations a time-limited development permit.
2. New Class D Neighbourhood Pubs are subject to legal agreements, a good neighbour agreement, a time-limited development permit, neighbourhood notification and a referendum.
3. Amendments to existing Class D Neighbourhood Pubs are subject to legal agreements, a good neighbour agreement, neighbourhood notification.
4. New Class A Lounge (Social Club/Non profit society) or amendments to existing licenses are subject to legal agreements, a good neighbour agreement, neighbourhood notification and a time-limited development permit for new applications.
Council may, with any of the above liquor license applications, require the successful completion of a neighbourhood referendum in accordance with City guidelines if significant neighbourhood issues are identified.
· On July 11, 1996, City Council approved a series of recommendations on the Downtown Liquor Licensing Policy that included the following:
That the Director of Central Area Planning, in consultation with appropriate staff, local property owners, merchants, business organizations and the public, review and report back on the entertainment uses in the CBD, with special emphasis on an analysis of the suitability of the area to the south of Canada Place near Hastings, Pender and Hornby Streets, and the Cultural Precinct near Homer, Beatty, Robson and Dunsmuir Streets.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report recommends the adoption of a planning process, resources and budget for a review of the municipal liquor licensing policy for the West End (the area bounded by Burrard, Davie, Denman and Robson Streets) and the Central Business District (roughly bounded by Alberni, Seymour, and Bute Streets and the Burrard Inlet). The proposed time line is to conduct the West End review first, and then follow with the CBD review. The process involved for both reviews, includes a community and stakeholders consultation component and the formulation of policy recommendations.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
There has never been a specific liquor license policy for the West End or Central Business District. Existing city wide policy has been used to date to evaluate liquor license applications on a case by case basis.
The dynamics of both the West End and the Central Business District are such that the needs of the community, residents and businesses, are compromised through the application of global liquor policy that is generally more suited to suburban areas, like Kerrisdale, Marpole or Fraserview.
It is important to point out that the City already has a specific policy for the adjacent area of Granville Street. Also, it is imperative that the policy developed for the West End and Central Business District be compatible and sensitive to the issues, directives and goals of the Granville Entertainment Theatre Row.
I. West End Review
On October 5th, 1999 City Council endorsed a recommendation of the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission to postpone a decision on a request for a Neighbourhood Pub application on the 1200 Block of Thurlow Street until a planning policy review of licensed seats in the area bordered by Davie, Denman, Robson and Burrard Street has been conducted.
It was Councils stated intention that the product of the review be a comprehensive liquor licensing policy for the West End.
This policy will be used by City staff and the Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission to evaluate proposals for new licensed establishments or amendments to existing liquor licenses in these areas. Similarly, this policy will provide guidelines and terms of references for future applicants and for the community at large.
The Province is continuing with its review of liquor regulations. Some new regulations have already been adopted, and new ones may be implemented in the near future. City staff is fully involved in this process (mostly through the UBCM), and any changes to provincial regulations that may affect the proposed review for the West End will have to be considered in this process. It is already evident that some provincial changes, such as two classes of liquor license, increased enforcement and the consideration of smaller facilities, will affect City policy.
The proposed review will deal with a variety of issues, including:
Hours of operation
Depending on the type of Liquor License, hours of operation for facilities in the West End, and particularly closing hours, differ from one type of facility to another. Most facilities close between 12:00 midnight and 1:00 am, but some Lounges and Cabarets are allowed to remain open until 2:00 am (See Appendix A).
As part of the Provincial Liquor Review, licensed establishment operators are requesting extended hours of operations (up to 14 hrs a day), with closing hours at 4:00am. Hours of operations is one of the key elements to analyse in this proposed review, as patrons dispersal may potentially have negative community impacts.
Seating capacity
The seating capacity of Bars, Pubs and Cabarets for the study area is outlined in Appendix A. We have summarized the information, as follows:
Davie Street (1000 to 1700 Blocks): 833 seats
Denman Street (700 to 1100 Blocks): 361 seats
Robson Street (1000 to 1700 Blocks): 931 seats
Burrard Street (700 to 1100 Blocks): 788 seats
TOTAL 2,913 seats
Note: There are significant pockets of concentration of liquor licensed facilities and seats in each of these areas, such as on the 1000 block of Davie Street. A map for all facilities is provided on Appendix B.
There are a large number of liquor seats concentrated in the whole of the Downtown, in areas such as Downtown South, Granville Street, Yaletown, Robson Street (East of Howe), CBD,Victory Square, Gastown and Plaza of Nations (more than 20,000 seats for all areas). A great number of these seats however, fulfill a city-wide and regional need. The liquor seats in the study area of the West End, for the most part fulfill a local need/demand, but also cater to a wider regional clientele. This is particularly true for the Davie Street facilities. One of the questions to be answered, is whether this particular area (Davie Street) can accommodate more facilities (there is at least one application on file). A parallel issue relates to what kind of mix of facilities is anticipated.
Density of licenses (and seats)
The review may have to consider, in some areas, the possibility of accommodating smaller type of facilities (under 65 seats). Council already recognized this as an issue in the 1996 review of liquor licensing for the Downtown, when it suggested that the City enter into discussions with the Province to establish a new license category for smaller drinking establishments. In any event, new facilities could be linked to a time-limited Development Permit (ie. 2 years).
Entertainment
The concentration of liquor seats and their potential impact on surrounding residences is closely linked to the type of entertainment provided in the establishments. Relevant questions to this issue are the appropriate size of a facility for certain types of entertainment and the suitability of such a facility in the community.
Social clubs and licensing issues
The City did have an application for a Social Club in the West End area, but it was later withdrawn. Social Clubs are not supposed to be open to the general public, but potentially, they could operate as a pseudo-Cabaret. Social Clubs (Class A Lounge) however, are subject to legal agreements and could also entail a time-limited Development Permit.
Referendum and public consultation
City staff are in the process of reviewing the referendum and consultation mechanisms as they relate to Liquor Licensing. A Council report is expected soon.
Enforcement
There have not been significant enforcement issues identified with the study area to date. The consultation process will have to assess the veracity of this. Typically, enforcement complaints relate to issues such as overcrowding, noise and some policing, (e.g. fights, vandalism, nuisance complaints, etc.).
Consultation Process and Time Frame
It is proposed that the West End consultation process start in January 2000 with a report back to Council early in the Spring.
This consultation will be carried out by City staff with the help of a consultant, familiar with the issues and dynamics of the West End.
The tasks involved will include the following:
· identification of community groups, key individuals and interest groups
· identification of issues
· compilation of land use/zoning issues related to adjacencies and compatibilities
· coordination with referendum review and with provincial review process
· analysis options for policies
· evaluation of policy options
· development of recommendations
· report preparation and submissionThe public process will entail a number of Focus Groups at different stages of the consultation, and some Public Open Houses.
The product of the consultation process will be the presentation of different options, an impact evaluation, recommendations, submission of a report and a decision on a comprehensive policy for liquor licensing in the West End.
The anticipated extra costs in the West End review will be $25,500 with the following components:
Meeting Expenses: $ 7,000
(Halls, equipment, staff over-time, etc.)
Communications: $ 3,500
Consultant: $15,000
SUBTOTAL: $25,500
If Council approves this work, funding will be provided as part of the 2000 Operating Budget.
II. The Central Business District
Considering that Council has already requested the development of policy on the entertainment uses for the Central Business District, it is proposed that the second phase of this review deal with the development of a comprehensive liquor licensing policy for the CBD (the area bounded by Alberni, Seymour, Bute Street and the Burrard Inlet).
This review will provide among other things, the opportunity to look at the entertainment venues that serve liquor (existing and potential) an non-alcohol Dance Halls in the CBD. There are 3,303 liquor seats in the CBD. For a detailed breakdown of facilities see Appendix C and D.
Some significant changes in areas adjacent to the CBD, like the Coal Harbour Development and the potential development of a Convention Centre besides Canada Place, make this review even more relevant and timely.
The CBD review will be modelled after the West End review, understanding however that there are significant differences between the two neighbourhoods. The residential component for example, is not as significant in the CBD. It is proposed that the CBD consultation process start immediately after the West End review has been finalized, with an anticipated report back to Council late in the Spring of 2000.
The anticipated extra costs in the CBD review will be $15,000 with the following components:
Meeting Expenses $ 3,000
(Halls, equipment, staff over-time, etc.)
Communications: $ 2,000
Consultant: $10,000
SUBTOTAL: $15,000If Council approves this work, funding will be provided as part of the 2000 Operating Budget.
CONCLUSION
The process recommended will allow for a planning process, resources and budget for a review of the municipal liquor licensing policy for the West End (the area bounded by Burrard, Davie, Denman and Robson Streets). It also anticipates a similar process for the Central Business District (roughly bounded by Alberni, Seymour, Bute Street and the Burrard Inlet). The outcome of the proposed consultation process involved in this review will eventually provide Council with policy options and a course of action as well as provide the industry and the community at large with clear guidelines and terms of reference.
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APPENDIX A
WEST END LIQUOR LICENSED FACILITIES
ADDRESS
ESTABLISHMENT NAME
LICENSE TYPE
# OF SEATS
HOURS OF
OPERATION
845 Burrard St
Sutton Place Hotel
Lounge
195
11:30 am to 1:30 am
1088 Burrard St
Wall Centre Garden Hotel
Lounge
45
11:00 am to 1:00 am
1100 Burrard St
Burrard Motor Inn
Lounge
85
11:00 am to 12:00 am
1015 Burrard St
Century Plaza Hotel
Pub/Lounge
463
12:00 n to 2:00 am
1022 Davie St
Celebrities (Vancouver)
Cabaret
350
7:00 pm to 2:00 am
1042 Davie St
Numbers
Cabaret
195
7:00 pm to 2:00 am
1160 Davie St
Parkhill Hotel
Lounge
46
11:00 am to 1:00 am
1025 Davie St
Fountainhead Pub *not open yet
Neighbourhood Pub
65
??
1755 Davie St
Sands Motor Hotel
Lounge
177
12:00 n to 2:00 am
1733 Comox St
Coast Plaza at Stanley Park
Lounge
180
12:00 n to 2:00 am
860 Denman St
Denman Station
Cabaret
82
7:00 pm to 2:00 am
961 Denman St
Dover Arms
Neighbourhood Pub
99
10:00 am to 12:00 am
1225 Robson St
Blue Horizon Hotel
Pub/Lounge
404
11:00 am to 1:00 am
1277 Robson St
Pacific Palisades Hotel
Lounge
64
11:30 am to 1:30 am
1300 Robson St
O'Doul's Hotel
Lounge
38
11:00 am to 1:00 am
1348 Robson St
Barclay Hotel
Lounge
100
11:30 am to 1:30 am
1400 Robson St
Empire Landmark Hotel
Pub/Lounge
325
11:30 am to 1:30 am
Total
2913
APPENDIX B
MAP OF WEST END LIQUOR LICENSED FACILITIES
APPENDIX C
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT LICENSED FACILITIES
ADDRESS
ESTABLISHMENT NAME
LICENSE TYPE
# OF SEATS
HOURS OF
OPERATIONS550 W Hastings St
Delta Hotel
"A" Lounge
50
11:00 am to 1:00 am
620 W Pender St
Piccadilly Hotel
"A" Pub
125
10:00 am to 12:00 mn
602 Dunsmuir St
St. Regis Hotel
"A" Pub
177
9:00 am to 11:00 pm
602 Dunsmuir St
St. Regis Hotel
"A" Lounge
157
11:00 am to 1:00 am
515 Seymour St
Clarence Hotel
"A" Pub
120
11:00 am to 1:00 am
828 W Hastings St
Jolly Taxpayer
"A" Pub
177
10:00 am to 12:00 mn
921 W Pender St
Days Inn Vancouver
"A" Pub
220
10:00 am to 12:00 mn
921 W Pender St
Days Inn Vancouver
"A" Lounge
85
10:00 am to 12:00 mn
801 W Georgia St
Hotel Georgia
"A" Lounge
345
11:00 am to 1:30 am
801 W Georgia St
Hotel Georgia
"A" Lounge
40
10:00 am to 12:00 mn
595 Hornby St
Club Millennium
Cabaret
199
7:00 pm to 2:00 am
655 Burrard St
Hyatt Regency Hotel
"A" Lounge
285
11:30 am to 1:30 am
791 W Georgia St
Four Seasons Hotel
"A" Lounge
140
12:00 n to 1:00 am
900 W Georgia St
Hotel Vancouver
"A" Lounge
336
11:00 am to 1:00 am
645 Howe St
Metropolitan Hotel
"A" Lounge
65
11:00 am to 1:00 am
999 Canada Place
Pan Pacific Hotel
"A" Lounge
219
11:30 am to 1:30 am
900 Canada Place
Waterfront Centre Hotel
"A" Lounge
95
11:00 am to 1:00 am
#350 - 1050 Alberni St
Tokyo Lounge
Cabaret
112
7:00 pm to 2:00 am
888 W Cordova St
Terminal City Club
"A" Pub
125
11:00 am to 1:00 am
1133 W Hastings St
Vancouver Renaissance Hotel
"A" Lounge
231
11:30 am to 1:30 am
Total
3303
APPENDIX D
MAP OF CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT LICENSED FACILITIES
(c) 1998 City of Vancouver