LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport bar is getting the chance to resume live entertainment for a three-month test period, at the end of which the city must decide whether or not to lift the suspension of its zoning permit.
The Lakeport Planning Commission approved the test period and 15 accompanying operating conditions for Full Throttle Tavern at its Wednesday night meeting.
The vote was 4-0, with Commissioner Ross Kauper recusing himself from the discussion because he owns property within 500 feet of the the tavern, located at 650 S. Main St.
On Dec. 8 the commission voted to suspend the bar's zoning permit allowing live entertainment after the Lakeport Police Department raised concerns with a high volume of calls about the bar, as Lake County News has reported.
The tavern's manager and co-owner, Sean Lyon, appealed the decision to the Lakeport City Council but withdrew the appeal Jan. 31 after working with city staff, according to Planning Services Manager Andrew Britton.
Unlike the Dec. 8 hearing, which drew a full room of both supporters and opponents, on Wednesday night only a handful of people were in the audience during the 45-minute meeting.
Britton suggested to the commission that the 90-day period would start based on the first day the tavern resumes live entertainment.
He said that, during the time the appeal was active, the bar had continued with live entertainment, as it was staff's opinion that, during the appeal period, the bar's original operating conditions under the permit were in effect. The suspension went back into effect when the appeal was withdrawn.
Lyon told the commission that several improvements have been made to the property. Still to come is a new entrance on the side of the building that he believes will solve many of the problems, as well as creation of a smoking area outside. He expected to start installing new dual pane windows on Thursday.
Lyon said they were trying to do whatever they could to accommodate the bar's residential neighbors and address the city's concerns while running a business.
But Lyon also wanted to know if, when there are complaints against other bars, “are they going to be treated the same way as us?”
Commission Chair Tom Gayner assured Lyon that everyone would be treated the same.
Britton said the matter was brought forward due to the volume of calls police received. Lyon said he was aware of that, and alleged that one neighbor in particular was trying to put him out of business and was responsible for about 90 percent of the calls. Without those calls, Lyon said his bar received fewer complaints than other bars in town.
Acting Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen replied, “Our position is to treat all complaints equally.”
Rasmussen said the Community Development Department, Lakeport Police and the bar ownership cooperated to come up with solutions that would work for everybody.
“Our goal is to work with the community not against them,” Lyon said.
The bar will be subject to decibel testing to make sure it's in compliance with acceptable sound levels, and officials also asked Lyon to e-mail them notification of upcoming live entertainment events.
Lyon also is required to consult with Lakeport Police on needed security measures and must terminate live entertainment no later than 12:30 a.m.
Lyon asked that, if they adhered to all of the rules, would the rules eventually be removed?
“I think it's a little premature to speculate about the removal of any of these conditions or any of the original conditions,” said Britton.
Lyon asked if every bar has this permit. Britton said yes. “That hasn't been a problem for the other establishments.”
Commissioner Marc Spillman asked what the call level regarding the bar has been since the commission took action in December. Rasmussen said it's been virtually nonexistent.
Commissioner Suzanne Russell asked Lyon what he was going to do about his clientele. At the Dec. 8 meeting there had been numerous statements about unruly behavior in the nearby residential neighborhood, which they had attributed to bar patrons.
But Lyon said those people are part of a pub crawl going on in the city. “I can't control what's going on outside my establishment,” he said.
He told the commission he and his staff police the area as best they can and ask patrons to be courteous to neighbors.
“I can understand where you're coming from but I don’t agree with you,” said Russell.
Lyon responded that Russell was assuming the people causing the trouble are coming from his bar.
Russell then asked if Lyon was going to beef up security. Lyon said he usually has three bartenders and two security staffers on duty, but Russell said that didn't match Commissioner Harold Taylor's report of a visit to the bar around Halloween.
Taylor, who had shared the story at the December meeting, explained Wednesday that the bar was very busy at around 9 p.m. and only one bartender was on when he visited in October.
Lyon said later that night more staff came on, and that the bar usually isn't busy until 10 p.m.
Gayner asked how much live entertainment the bar had hosted recently, and Lyon responded that it had taken place every weekend in January.
Gayner also wanted to know how quickly the rest of the changes to the building would be implemented. Lyon said his goal is to have all the work done within 90 days.
After Lyon was finished speaking no other public comment was offered and the hearing was closed.
Spillman and Taylor said they were comfortable giving the bar the 90-day period.
“I feel Sean's done a lot of work. They came a long ways,” said Taylor, who felt the commission should give Full Throttle Tavern a chance.
Spillman moved to approve the continuation of live entertainment on the trial basis, which the commission approved 4-0.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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