LAKEPORT — An owner of The Full Throttle Tavern in Lakeport filed an appeal on Monday against the Lakeport Planning Commission”s ruling to suspend the Tavern”s zoning permit allowing the performance of live entertainment.
Sean Lyon, an owner and operator of the Tavern, said the appeal was filed because, “We thought the decision was unjust.” The Planning Commission voted 4-0 to suspend the zoning permit during a public hearing on Dec. 8 that lasted more than two hours.
The decision suspended the permit for an unspecified time period, allowing Tavern owners the opportunity to make building changes and modifications, according to Community Development director Richard Knoll.
Lyon said the owners have already made improvements to the property, including some soundproofing measures, and have looked into whether they could enclose the back patio to prevent patron noise.
Lyon said he has met with city staff during the week to discuss improvement options.
Knoll said he plans to meet with the owners by the end of the week because the city wants to see a compromise reached. “We”re interested in finding a solution that resolves the issues in terms of allowing the business owners to proceed and conduct a business but also a solution that responds to the concerns that neighbors have,” he said.
The Tavern has not played live music since Dec. 8, Lyon said. Property owner Racheal Ferguson filed the appeal, according to Knoll.
Knoll said the applicant based her appeal on a provision in the zoning ordinance, which allows for the appeal of a Planning Commission decision. The suspension cannot be enforced because of the appeal process, Knoll said.
The appeal will be brought to the Lakeport City Council at a meeting in January, which has yet to be scheduled, according to Knoll.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
