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Council grants timeline waiver so downtown bar can host TV filming
Summary
The Melbourne City Council voted to waive the 60-day permit timeline only so Hurricane Creek Saloon can host filming of the television show Bar Rescue April 14–18, provided all standard permits and safety requirements are met on a shortened schedule.
The Melbourne City Council on March 25 voted to waive only the 60-day application-timing requirement so Hurricane Creek Saloon owner Randy Bennett can proceed with a proposed April 14–18 Bar Rescue filming, council members said.
Council members stressed the waiver applies solely to the application timeline; all other permitting requirements — insurance, policing details, street-closure approvals and site plans — must be submitted and met under the city’s standard permitting process. Councilman Smith moved to grant the timeline waiver; Councilwoman Bassett seconded and the motion passed.
Why it matters: Bennett told council the national production would bring immediate economic activity to downtown Melbourne, including hotel stays and restaurant business, and that the show’s producers will pay all fees and required costs. He asked the council to allow an expedited schedule because he learned he was selected only days earlier. Bennett said, “They will pay for all fees, all street redirection signs, permit fees.”
Council members and staff warned the timeline is tight. City Manager Jenny (last name not specified in the record) and Police Chief Dave Gillespie both confirmed city departments could follow the normal permitting process if the timeline waiver was granted but said shorter notice increases the challenge of securing police details, engineering sign plans and other logistics. Chief Gillespie said staffing would follow “our normal procedure” and that “the more time we have to post, the more likelihood that it gets filled.”
Council members framed the decision narrowly. Vice Mayor Newman and others repeatedly stated the council was not waiving code requirements, only the application-timing deadline. Councilman LaRusso and others asked for an explicit commitment that Bennett and the production company meet all permit and insurance conditions quickly; Bennett said he would “make sure” the paperwork is submitted and would personally cover costs if needed.
The city directed staff to proceed with the expedited permitting process if Bennett supplies documentation and insurance in time; staff warned the standard requirement to submit final permit materials is five business days before the event and that departments have limited time to prepare.
Ending: Council members said they hoped the filming would produce positive publicity and business for downtown, but they emphasized strict compliance with all remaining permit and safety requirements. The council's approval was limited to the timeline waiver and did not alter any code, fees or permit conditions.
