Parksville council will not support a requested change to the Beach Club’s liquor license.
The Beach Club’s Pacific Prime Steak and Chop Restaurant and Lounge asked for the city’s support for an application to the Liquor Control Licensing Branch (LCLB) for a permanent change to their food primary license.
They wanted to add an “entertainment endorsement” to allow live and recorded music for events, including dancing, in the restaurant, lounge and patios until 11 p.m., consistent with the city’s noise control bylaw.
“It’s a shame The Beach Club has not done a very good of stating their intentions,” said Councillor Carrie Powell-Davidson, after hearing of 23 letters of opposition and six members of the gallery speak against the change.
She said they should have gone out and worked with the neighbours and made their intentions clear.
“I don’t think they want all night, every night, hard rock.”
“The Beach Club is my neighbour and I don’t feel we should have to listen to it all evening,” said Angela Beers who lives at and manages the Sea Edge Motel.
She fought back her emotions as she talked about long-time return guests wanting a quiet beach and used the analogy of spending the day on the beach having put up with someone’s loud radio music all day, “except this neighbour doesn’t leave and the radio is on all the time.”
Several people spoke of how sound travels from the park across to the Temple Street neighbourhood and they were frustrated they hadn’t been consulted.
Chelsea Cummings, Beach Club assistant operations manager, said they had letters of support from other resorts and neighbouring businesses and pointed out they don’t want the noise disturbing their own guests either.
Only Cummings, another employee and a consultant working with the Beach Club, spoke in favour of the request.
Peter Morrison was the only councillor to speak in favour of the request, pointing out that music on a restaurant patio is not the same as the Canada Day noise many of the public referred to in their opposition.
Council eventually supported an alternative option, allowing music until 11 p.m., but only inside the resort building.
The final decision will be made by the LCLB, which mayor Chris Burger said does not have to listen to their recommendation, but believes they usually do.