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Council debates keeping cabaret (entertainment) regulatory license; opts not to move to work study
Summary
Staff presented a report on Port Orchard’s cabaret (entertainment) regulatory license. Council discussed terminology, enforcement purpose and administrative burden, asked staff for a list of applicants, and declined to send the item to a work-study session.
City staff presented background and a staff memorandum on Port Orchard’s cabaret regulatory license (chapter 5.2 of the municipal code) during a council discussion on April 8, and council members debated whether to revise or retain the licensing requirement.
"This code has not been touched since 02/2005," staff (Miss Archer) said, explaining the cabaret license is an enhanced regulatory license required for businesses that serve food or liquor together with live entertainment, dancing or music. She said the regulatory license provides an additional annual review by planning, fire, police and finance staff and that the city has typically processed between 8 and 15 applications per year since 2020.
Council members asked whether the model business ordinance requires such an enhanced license; staff replied it does not. "The model ordinance is just the general business. Correct. So these regulatory enhancements are at the pleasure of each agency," Miss Archer said. Council members raised questions about redundancy with existing codes, the annual fee (noted in Tacoma’s example but $200 in Port Orchard), and how nonprofit or special-event entertainment would be handled.
Several council members said they saw value in retaining an enhanced review because it gives building and safety staff a chance to identify unpermitted work or life-safety issues. Others asked for more outreach: council members requested a list of current applicants/licensees so they could solicit feedback from local businesses. The mayor pro tem called for a show of hands on whether to move the discussion to a work study; a majority did not support sending it to a work study that evening. Staff agreed to provide a list of current applicants and related materials if council members want follow-up.
No ordinance or code change was proposed or adopted at the meeting; the discussion closed with a request for additional information and no further action.
