City Council calls for funds for nightlife regulator

The Seattle City Council put bars and nightclubs on notice Monday that the city will be more aggressive in enforcing rules on occupancy, litter and noise.

By unanimous vote, the council called on Mayor Greg Nickels to include funding in his next budget for a nightlife regulator and at least two field agents who would enforce the noise code five nights a week. The council also asked for a team that would conduct unannounced inspections of nightclubs at least three times per month, looking for liquor, safety and other code violations.

The council also passed two bills focused directly on public safety: One gives the city the power to take legal action if an establishment violates occupancy limits three times in a year. The other requires nightclubs — defined as those establishments that serve alcohol after 10 p.m. and have capacity for at least 200 people — to file a safety plan annually that answers common questions about their security practices.

Recent incidents have put a spotlight on nighttime violence in downtown. Two men were wounded Friday night in a shooting near Pike Place Market. Last month, an 18-year-old woman was wounded by a sailor firing a gun late at night on Western Avenue.

"What we haven't gotten to is that there's this huge element of personal responsibility in all of this," said Councilmember Sally Clark, whose committee crafted the legislation. "In some cases clubs are being scapegoated, and that's not constructive for us in the long term."

Still, a push for a nightclub license appears to be gaining momentum. Clark said she plans to introduce a limited license for nightclubs when her committee meets Thursday night. The economic-development and neighborhoods committee meets at 6 p.m. at the High Point Community Center, 6920 34th Ave. S.W., and will take public comment.

The nightclub license would be scaled back from one proposed last year by Nickels.

Clark's proposal would apply to nightclubs that generate revenue primarily from liquor sales and have capacity for 200 people or more; the city could revoke the club's license only for violence inside the club.

The concept of a limited license for nightclubs appears to have four votes — one shy of council passage — and fierce lobbying is going on at City Hall for a fifth vote.

Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck spoke against licenses Monday, citing the need first for improved enforcement.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com