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Commission reports: Heights appeal withdrawn, Circulo citation upheld; staff planning sound tests and coordination after club incidents
Summary
Staff told the Entertainment Commission that the appeal for The Heights (2080 Van Ness) was withdrawn after the business changed ownership and that an ALJ upheld the commission's citation against Circulo. Staff also described recent crowd‑control incidents and planned resident‑involved sound tests for venues with prior complaints.
At its June 14 meeting, the Entertainment Commission received multiple enforcement and public‑safety updates from staff.
Executive Director Miss Kane told commissioners that the Board of Appeals received a withdrawal of the appeal for 2080 Van Ness (The Heights) after the business was sold and that the commission had issued a new place‑of‑entertainment permit to the new operators. Kane described the withdrawal as a favorable development for staff.
Kane also reported that the commission’s earlier citation against Circulo — issued Feb. 27 for a security‑plan violation — was appealed and heard by an administrative law judge in the Office of the Controller; on May 27 the ALJ "found the staff credible and ruled in favor of the commission upholding the citation in its entirety." Kane said staff intends to develop a template to handle future citation appeals without repeated city‑attorney involvement.
Inspector Brunelli described recent enforcement activity and coordination with SFPD. He said venues on Broadway have been cooperating to manage crowds after a promoter 'bait and switch' led to about 400 people showing up at Horizon; venues loaned security and tightened entrance policies, and combined action with SFPD helped disperse the crowd in roughly "half an hour to 45 minutes." Brunelli also noted an unrelated overcrowding incident near The Room that drew SFPD involvement but no known serious injuries.
Brunelli said staff plans to work with SFPD and the secondhand smoke enforcement team on venues that also operate as hookah lounges or operate without required permits, and he described upcoming sound tests that will include residents recording noise inside their homes as well as tests at the venue and nearby blocks.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about incident timing, the role of security and police, and enforcement priorities for hookah lounges and extended‑hours establishments. Staff emphasized limited staff capacity for investigations and the need to prioritize complaints with available resources.
