Council pauses social-club ordinance overhaul, asks staff to craft venue-focused alternative

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — Councilors directed staff on Monday to return to the drawing board on the city’s social-club ordinance and to develop a venue-centered alternative after a long study-session discussion revealed the existing code dates to 2007 and was modeled on adult-business regulations.

Heidi (last name not stated at the microphone), owner of Swiss Flower & Gifts in Wheat Ridge, told the council she had learned last fall that renting her building occasionally for small memorial services and private gatherings could be treated under the city’s social-club code. ‘‘When I built the new building…instead of tearing this history down, we decided to clean it up and rent it out for small venues,’’ Heidi said. She told the council she has hosted mainly short, low‑attendance events and said the existing licensing scheme — which staff said imposes a roughly $500 initial license fee, a $150 application processing fee, additional investigation fees for registered managers and a $250 yearly renewal — imposes a high cost and administrative burden on small community venues.

Staff presented a two-tier draft: keep strict social-club rules for higher‑impact operations (nightclubs and the like) but create a ‘‘low impact social…