|
|
|
Articles
|
| Zanzibar seeks nightclub license |
VOICE writes, "BY JEZEREY WEIDERMAN
Zanzibar on the Waterfront is not meeting its food sales requirement, said Michel Daley, one of the owners of the establishment, following an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board hearing Feb. 6.
To remedy the problem, Zanzibar has applied to change its liquor license from a restaurant license to a nightclub license. But some community leaders are opposing the idea of the change, saying it would set a bad precedent for the future development of the Southwest waterfront.
Mediation between the two groups would be a “complete waste of time,” said the beverage board’s chair, Peter Feather.
The Southwest advisory neighborhood commission is adamantly opposed to the change, said commissioner Max Skolnik, who represented the neighborhood commission at last week’s hearing.
The license change would free Zanzibar from the restaurant license that requires it to earn from its food sales 45 percent of its gross revenue or $2,000 per seat per year.
“If we were able to obtain a licensing change we would not have the struggle with increasing the food sales,” Daley said. Zanzibar still intends to sell food, but the majority of its revenue would still come from liquor sales.
"
|
Skolnik contended that the restaurant ought to be allowed to renew only its current restaurant license, particularly because it is not in compliance with it.
“Why should they be rewarded with a [nightclub] license if they haven’t met their current requirements?” Skolnik said.
Skolnik said neighbors are concerned that the change could set a precedent for the tone of the waterfront.
To “build upon the existing strong waterfront community,” according to developer PN Hoffman on its Web site, the firm plans to create housing, offices, casual and upscale dining, and jazz venues. Nightclubs, however, are not in that plan.
Daley said he could not say whether Zanzibar will even remain on the waterfront postdevelopment, but it plans to stay in business for at least the next two years.
Both Daley and Skolnik, in interviews with The Voice, said they have had a constructive relationship for eight years. The relationship included a memorandum of understanding with guidelines for Zanzibar’s operations. It includes noise limits, crowd control and public-safety guidelines. Now that Zanzibar is seeking a nightclub license, the neighborhood commission is seeking even more commitments from Zanzibar.
Skolnik said the neighborhood commission will first push for a voluntary agreement. It would link compliance with the guidelines directly to Zanzibar’s liquor license.
Whether or not they come to an agreement, Skolnik said, “we‘re not going to agree to a nightclub license.”. He said that though 2010 is far off, a lot can happen in two years.
Daley said Zanzibar is not excited about the prospect of a voluntary agreement.
“Fundamentally, Zanzibar disagrees with the concept of voluntary agreements because voluntary agreements are being used too often to blackmail businesses,” he said. “Blackmail as in: ‘If you don’t do a voluntary agreement we are going to oppose the renewal of your liquor license’ and that’s unfair to us,.” Daley added.
For some Southwest residents, annoyances of club-like establishments include urination on lawns, beer cans strewn on private property and scattered offensive fliers.
“H20's attorneys were representing Zanzibar at the hearing. What this is about is an attempt to establish, effectively, a nightclub district at the expense of a residential community," said Zev Feder, who lives near H20, a club in the area that has had nuisance complaints.
Daley said a nightclub license does not necessarily bring trouble to neighborhoods. “The premise seems to insinuate that if you’re a nightclub, it’s going to be a problem -- a nightclub is just another class of business,” he said.
While the neighborhood commission is opposed to a nightclub license, other options are on the table.
Fred Moosally, general counsel for the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, suggested the possibility of a tavern license, which would allow Zanzibar to skirt the food-sale requirements, but maintain the size of its dance floor.
Daley and Skolnik both said they are open to the idea, but talks have not been scheduled.
A formal protest hearing is scheduled for March 26.
|
Posted on Feb 20, 2008 16:13pm.
(Return)
|
|
|
|
|
Categories
|
|
|
