Twentynine Palms planning commission backs ordinance to regulate ancillary businesses, live entertainment

The Twentynine Palms Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council an amendment to the city's development code that would clarify rules for ancillary businesses and establish an annual license for ancillary live entertainment.

The commission adopted a resolution finding the proposal exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and directed staff to bring a final ordinance and resolution to the City Council for adoption.

The package consolidates three related study-session topics into one ordinance amendment covering (1) ancillary business uses where a secondary business operates inside or as part of a primary business, (2) ancillary live entertainment provided by businesses whose primary use is not entertainment, and (3) related procedural changes. City staff said the proposal would reduce the level of land-use review for some secondary uses, add an entertainment license tied to the business license, and require safety reviews by building and safety, police and fire.

Keith, a city planning staff member who led the presentation, described ancillary businesses as 'products or services that an existing business offers that are not the primary function of the business'…