Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing And Permitting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Forest Park council debates laptop/DJ rules, denies several entertainment-license applications as presented
Summary
Council members pressed for clearer distinctions between background music and licensed performances after several vague entertainment-license applications; applications that lacked specific dates or proposed restricted hours were denied or sent back for clarification.
A contentious discussion over how the village defines and licenses entertainment — in particular, whether music played from a laptop by an employee should require an entertainment license — dominated part of Forest Park’s May 9 council meeting.
Council members described two distinct scenarios: (1) a bartender or employee who plays background music on a device as part of normal business operations, and (2) a person brought in to manage music who functions like a DJ. "What the business owner indicated to me is an employee will be managing the laptop ... so they're acting as a quasi DJ," Commissioner Vog said while relaying the owner's explanation. Several commissioners said that when a person is brought in to manage music in a DJ-like capacity, the council expects applicants to request a license and provide specific dates.
Commissioner Burns argued the current applications were too vague and inconsistent with the original intent of the entertainment license, saying the council could deny or return items that do not provide sufficient detail. "If they don't provide enough information for the council's pleasure then we don't have to approve this," Burns said. Other members suggested approving licenses only for specifically documented dates of acoustic or live music rather than blanket monthly authorizations.
As a result of the lack of specificity, the council recorded 'no' votes on items where the application did not specify dates or included proposed hours that exceed allowable limits. For example, Doc Ryan's application included proposed hours that extended to 1 a.m., which commissioners said would exceed the license's allowed end time; commissioners advised applicants to resubmit with corrected hours and specific dates.
Council also approved several entertainment permits that met the village’s expectations for specificity, including permits for Leop House Cafe, Pioneer Tap and Carol's Next Best Thing. The clerk recorded roll-call votes for each licensing item on the agenda.
Staff was directed to provide clearer guidance to future applicants to reduce inconsistent or blanket applications, and the council signaled it may develop firmer distinctions in policy between background music and licensed live/DJ performances.
