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Council approves two entertainment licenses, tables two others amid neighbor noise complaints and refers issues to public safety
Summary
The Lackawanna City Council approved class-1 entertainment licenses for the Colonel John Weber Post and the Lake Erie Italian Club, denied or tabled other applications pending public-safety review, and directed staff to explore enforcement options for repeated noise and late‑hour disturbances.
LACKAWANNA, N.Y. — The Lackawanna City Council on March 18 approved two entertainment licenses, tabled two others for additional public-safety review and raised enforcement options after council members described repeated noise and late-hour disturbance complaints tied to some establishments.
Why it matters: Licensing of live or amplified music implicates neighborhood quality of life, code enforcement, and, in some cases, State Liquor Authority oversight. Council members said they received repeated complaints about outdoor and late-night music from certain venues.
The council voted to grant Class 1 entertainment privileges to the Colonel John Weber Post and the Lake Erie Italian Club. It tabled applications for Ice House Pub and Steel City Pub and referred those applications to Public Safety for follow-up. Council discussion raised repeated calls from neighbors and multiple police referrals to one establishment; one council member said the city had received numerous complaints and seven police calls for an address and urged stricter enforcement. The council specifically discussed that repeated, chronic noise or disturbance calls could be referred to the State Liquor Authority for review of a liquor license.
The council also approved a Class 2 coin-operated mechanical-reproduction license for Winfield’s Pub and asked public-safety officials to review noise complaints, hours of operation and compliance with licensing conditions for establishments under referral.
Legal and enforcement context: Council members said code enforcement typically begins administratively with citations; repeat or ignored citations can proceed to city court. The council asked staff to consider an escalating administrative sanction process and to involve the State Liquor Authority for recurring incidents that indicate public‑safety concerns.
Next steps: The Ice House Pub and Steel City Pub applications will be investigated by the police/public-safety department and returned to the council with findings. The council also suggested the licensing application form be reviewed so that the treasurer or other departments more consistently check outstanding tax liabilities and enforcement histories before processing licenses.
