NORFOLK, Va. - The City is pressing pause on some controversial nightlife regulations, but council members approved others during a meeting Tuesday.
The city council was scheduled to vote on redefining "disc jockey" and "entertainment," but City Manager Chip Filer said those items would be tabled and could be brought up at a later date.
The council chambers were packed full of DJ's and business owners to speak against the proposal, although many no longer were able to speak about the proposal since it was no longer on the agenda.
"Please, I ask you to find another solution. This is not the businesses' fault. Come sit down, have a cup of coffee, come talk to us as local business owners," one owner told the council.
Business owners expressed worry the added regulations could hurt businesses. "The real changes of broadening defining what entertainment are, those are the ones that I think are frightening," said Charles Rasputin, an owner of Slowdive Gallery, in an interview last week with News 3.
On Wednesday morning, Raputin called the city tabling the proposal "a small victory."
"I don't think punishing everyone or limiting everyone is an effective response to what we're seeing happening now," Rasputin said.
Still, council members did wind up approving requiring new businesses to get Conditional Use Permits from the city to serve alcohol. Previously, businesses only needed the permits to serve alcohol after midnight downtown and at 11 p.m. in other parts of the city. It does not apply to existing businesses.
They also removed a two-year renewal requirement for CUP's.
Several city council members said the discussion over DJ's and entertainment was going too fast.
"I think this gives us a chance to take a pause and get an opportunity to hear from the community because a lot of what we're doing - they have been left out of the conversation," Council member Danica Royster said.
Council member Andria McClellan said she would like to see the creation of an advisory committee made up of the creative community and business owners. "Stay tuned!" she said in a text message.
The city is also partnering with a consulting firm called SafeNight LLC to develop strategies and policies to improve safety downtown. Their work is expected to begin shortly in the city.
