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Committee agrees to consider cabaret-license review after code update
Summary
Committee members asked staff to study the city’s cabaret-license requirements and return with options after pending code updates are completed by summer.
Council member Fred Chang asked staff to return to the Economic Development and Tourism Committee with information about Port Orchard’s cabaret-license policy after an applicant raised concerns during public comment.
Nick Bond, community development director, said staff are currently committed to a set of code updates with a June 30 deadline and do not have bandwidth to complete a separate cabaret-license review until after that work is finished. Bond said his department could address the topic in the summer if resources allow.
Bond summarized the cabaret-license concept for the committee: the license historically applies to establishments with live performances, dancing or activities that draw crowds, and it originated as a way to ensure building and exit capacity in older code regimes. He said modern building codes may now address some safety concerns that older cabaret regulations were designed to manage, and that the city will need to assess whether the cabaret-license requirements remain necessary, redundant or duplicative with other regulations.
“Heidi, it looks like you're interested. So I would just like to hear a little bit more from staff about what the license is, how many we have in the city, and what potential issues are,” Chang said. Heidi Fenton and other committee members expressed interest in receiving a staff briefing once the department can devote time to the topic.
No policy change was made at the March 10 meeting; staff said they will consider the cabaret-license item for a future committee agenda after the city completes its currently scheduled code updates.
