Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ordinance Entertainments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town Council adopts updated entertainment licensing ordinance with clarified inspection and revocation language
Summary
The Richmond Town Council voted to adopt amendments to Town Code chapter 5.44 (entertainments), clarifying who must obtain licenses, giving the police chief discretion on officer assignments and removing a mandatory monthly inspection requirement for licenses longer than 30 days.
The Richmond Town Council on Monday adopted revisions to chapter 5.44 of the town code, tightening and clarifying rules for indoor and outdoor public entertainment licenses.
Councilors approved language specifying that “any individual or entity that wishes to have live music, DJ, concert, performance, band, or other outdoor public entertainment must obtain a license before doing so,” and mirrored that clarity for indoor public entertainment. The council also revised the code’s public-safety language so the chief of police “shall determine the number of officers or constables, if any, for the event and shall control the number of persons allowed in the entertainment area of the building.”
During discussion, a council member proposed deleting a clause that had limited the grounds for denial, revocation, or refusal to renew a license to only instances where the location presented a danger to public health or safety. The speaker argued the town should retain broader authority to act on licenses; councilors and the solicitor discussed whether that authority is already implied. Council accepted language recommended by the town’s counsel as a friendly amendment before voting.
Members also questioned a provision that required monthly inspections by building and fire officials when a license was granted for more than 30 days. Councilors said the monthly inspection requirement is burdensome and not consistent with current practice; the final text removes that monthly cadence while preserving an inspection at the time of application and allowing additional inspections if a venue’s configuration changes.
The motion to adopt the amendments passed on a roll-call vote. The council chair recorded the vote as in favor by the members present.
The ordinance changes take effect according to the ordinance’s published effective-date provision. The council’s packet and amended ordinance language will be posted to the town’s records and the clerk’s office for public inspection.
