Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Chief License Inspector

SUBJECT:

870 Granville Street - The Commodore
Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

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), time-limited development permits and referenda, depending on the type of liquor license application.

New Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pubs are subject to a legal agreement, a good neighbour agreement, a time-limited development permit, neighbourhood notification and a referendum.

Given the extensive public process for the Theatre Row/Granville Street Entertainment District, a policy of using the response to a neighbourhood notification as an alternative to a formal referendum was adopted.

BACKGROUND

The proposed 65-seat Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub at 870 Granville would be located in former retail space at the rear of the main floor, in the building containing the recently renovated Commodore Cabaret. The renovations for the cabaret include a new separate entrance, stairway and elevator for patrons with disabilities. The pub would occupy the remainder of the main floor, and as there is no separate kitchen, food service would be provided via a dumbwaiter from the main kitchen on the cabaret floor above. The applicant intends the pub to be an integral part of the Commodore where people could meet prior to going to the cabaret, or retreat for quiet conversation during live concerts or other events. It would also act as an overflow and waiting area, particularly when leaving the facility for the evening and arranging for transportation home.

The proposed hours of operation are Monday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight, which is a later weekday closing time than permitted by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch policy limits a Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub to a maximum of 14 hours between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight, Monday to Thursday. Applicants may apply to the Branch for an extension of hours to 1:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights only. All types of liquor may be served. The service of food is not required, but must be available. Live entertainment and patron participation games are permitted.

The proposed pub area will initially open as a 65-seat Restaurant Class 1, with the intention of converting to a neighbourhood pub after the City and provincial liquor licensing process are complete.

Within the survey area are retail, residential, office, cabaret, restaurant, billiard hall, hotel, social housing and theatre uses (Appendix A).

Included in the survey area are three Class ‘A’ Pubs, (669 seats), three Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pubs (195 seats not yet in operation), seven Class ‘A’ Lounges (647 seats), 10 Class ‘C’ Cabarets (2,471 seats plus the Commodore 900 seats) and approximately 27 licensed restaurants. The closest provincial government liquor store is located at 1120 Alberni Street

DISCUSSION

On June 19, 1997, Council approved the following distribution and licensed seat capacity in the Theatre Row/Granville Street Entertainment District:

The 800 block of Granville has one 275-seat Class ‘C’ Cabaret on the west side of the block at 881 Granville and a 65-seat Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub at 800 Granville.

The Plaza Cabaret was approved based on the closure of the Red Door Cabaret (818 Richards), and the eventual closure of the Palladium Cabaret, (1250 Richards). A business license was issued to The Plaza Cabaret on July 21, 1999. The neighbourhood pub at 800 Granville is proceeding through the permit stage and will likely open early in the new year. The Commodore Cabaret was excluded from the distribution and the licensed seat capacity guidelines described above.

The previous approval of the neighbourhood pub and cabaret on the 800 block has filled the distribution and seating capacity guidelines approved in the Theatre Row/Granville Street Entertainment District report. However, the 700 block was allocated a combination of liquor facilities but, to date, no applications have been received. Given the lack of opportunities on this block, it seems appropriate to reallocate seating for one neighbourhood pub to the 800 block. Given the importance of the Commodore Cabaret venue, and no objection from the Police Department, staff supports this application as an integral part of the Commodore Cabaret operation. Benefits include increased viability of the Commodore Cabaret operation as a whole, an overflow area for the cabaret, a waiting area for patrons and a street front daytime activity for this building.

Current provincial regulations would prevent the pub space from being used after hours as a meeting place for Commodore patrons leaving the establishment at the end of the evening.
The applicant has requested hours of operation that are longer than those presently permitted for neighbourhood pubs. Staff only supports the hours of operation currently allowed by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch -- 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Monday to Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight Sunday-- as later hours would set a precedent for other neighbourhood pubs.

It is recommended that the issue of later hours for Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pubs be revisited after the entertainment area has been operating for some time.

COMMENTS

The Police Department has inspected the proposed site and has no objection to the inclusion of a Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub, subject to Granville Street Entertainment District policy.

The Planning Department notes that the site is located within the Downtown (DD) Zoning District (Sub-Area ‘K1'). The existing building is listed as an “A” building on the Vancouver Heritage Register. The currently approved uses include bowling alley, arcade, retail, restaurant and cabaret.

A neighbourhood public house is a use which will enhance Granville Street’s emergence as an entertainment district and is a use that can be considered in this Sub-Area. However, any proposal to change the use of a portion of this building to provide a neighbourhood pub will require a development permit application. The review process for this type of proposal would include an assessment of the anticipated impacts, such as noise and traffic, on neighbouring properties, having particular regard to residential uses in the area. As well, anapplication of this type would be reviewed in accordance with the provision of the Neighbourhood and Marine Public House Guidelines adopted by City Council on August 9, 1988, and the Liquor Licensing Policies and Procedures adopted by City Council on October 16 and November 6, 1990.

It should be noted that the majority of the 900 block of Seymour Street is zoned CD-1, which allows for residential uses.

Central Area Planning staff supports the application because it is located in the entertainment district. The pub will generate pedestrian traffic during the day because it is open in the afternoon as well as the evening.

The Vancouver/Richmond Health Board does not anticipate noise problems and has no objections to this proposal. The applicant must comply with the Health Bylaw requirements for food establishments.

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

The results of the neighbourhood notification process will be reported to the Commission at the meeting.

CONCLUSION

Staff is generally in support of this application as outlined in this report, subject to both a time-limited development permit and a legal agreement, including provisions that limit the seating capacity to 65-seats and the hours of operation to the standard hours for a Class ‘D’ Neighbourhood Pub.

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

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