Greenacres council approves zoning changes to define live entertainment, restrict nightclubs after safety concerns

The City of Greenacres on first reading approved Ordinance 2025-04, a city-initiated zoning text amendment that defines “live entertainment” and “nightclub,” tightens criteria for live-entertainment permits and clarifies related uses such as restaurants and mobile food dispensing vehicles.

Planner Millie Rivera told the council the amendment was prompted by a 2024 multi-agency business compliance check that found several establishments operating without live-entertainment permits, some apparently operating past 2 a.m. and with apparent dance floors. “The proposed revision aims to balance the community’s desire for such live-entertainment establishments while also addressing the safety concerns of the city,” Rivera said.

Why it matters: County law enforcement and Fire Rescue told staff they had documented public-safety concerns — including businesses operating past hours for alcohol sales and instances where establishments appeared to exceed their occupancy or operate features consistent with nightclubs. City staff said the new definitions and permit standards are intended to give zoning staff clearer tools to distinguish incidental music or customer dancing from uses that function as nightclubs.

During council debate several members said they supported the safety goals but were concerned about cultural impacts on longstanding restaurants where customers sometimes dance. Councilmember Diaz said such dancing is “part of our culture” and worried the ordinance could unintentionally penalize restaurants that have been in the city for years. Rivera and City Manager Andrea McHugh said the ordinance is not intended to ban dancing or live music, but rather to create criteria (hours, frequency of entertainment, presence of a dance floor, cover charges or bouncers) that would indicate an establishment is operating as a nightclub.

Council action and next steps: Deputy Mayor Dugo made the motion to approve the ordinance on first reading; Councilmember Noble seconded. Councilmember Busquay (referred to in the record as “Miss Musque”) said she opposed the ordinance as drafted and wanted more information and outreach to restaurant owners. The motion carried 4-1. The council approved the ordinance with an explicit direction that staff return with refined language and an outreach/education plan so that businesses — especially long-standing cultural restaurants — understand how the rules will be applied.

What staff said they will do: Rivera said staff would revise the definitions to better distinguish incidental customer dancing from an establishment that has converted into a nightclub, and to coordinate an education effort with economic development, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue.

Council members emphasized two enforcement priorities that the amendment seeks to address: ensuring alcohol sales hours do not exceed permitted times (code section 8-27), and preventing occupancy/operation beyond the property’s permitted capacity, which raises life-safety concerns for fire rescue.

Quotes from the record (attributed to speakers on the transcript): “It’s more so if there’s an established dance floor or if the establishment is moving, moving furniture,” Millie Rivera said as she explained how staff will identify nightclub characteristics. Councilmember Diaz said, “It’s my culture, so I can speak to it. We’ll move a table to create a space so that we can dance.”

Ending: The ordinance now returns to staff for language adjustments and an outreach plan; the council approved the revised approach on first reading so staff can present alternatives before final action.