Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009

Council harmonizes on piano bar vote

TURLOCK -- The martini glasses were polished and the bar stocked. All businessman Daniel Gray needed Tuesday night was some City Council harmony to open his Main Street piano bar.

The council voted 3-1 to let Gray open The Vintage Lounge, but said his doors must close by midnight; Gray proposed a 1 a.m. closing time.

Councilwoman Mary Jackson cast the dissenting vote, objecting to the midnight closing. She joked that clientele for The Vintage Lounge, with proposed musical acts such as pianists and harpists, "would be lucky" to stay up until 1 a.m. Jackson was skeptical that the non-amplified music would create a significant burden on police.

"They play it at Nordstrom every day, and you don't have problems," Jackson said.

Mayor John Lazar, a Realtor, did not vote because he represents the building's owner. Council members Ted Howze, Kurt Spycher and Amy Bub-lak voted in favor of the midnight closing time and limited Gray to one instrument played at a time, unamplified.

Police Chief Gary Hampton said the two businesses allowed to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. have put a larger strain on police resources than most. In 2008, police received 111 calls for service at Staley's (also owned by Gray) and Wellington Station, an average of about two per week. There were 200 calls to police among about 20 businesses serving liquor downtown last year.

Councilman Ted Howze said handing Gray a permit to sell beer, wine and liquor without a requiring he open a restaurant was in conflict with Turlock's long-term vision. "We don't build bars in Turlock, we build restaurants with liquor service," Howze said.

Before the meeting, City Manager Tim Kerr said he approved granting the "straight bar" permit because there was a need. It is only the second such permit in the city.

"You can't throw up a wall around the community and say we can't build anything else," Kerr said.

Kerr's decision overturned a previous one by city and police officials who limited Gray's liquor request to wine and beer only.

The city planning commission gave Gray his permit in November to open in the longtime home of Scotty's Bar, but a local resident's appeal sent the matter to the City Council. A December meeting featured verbal sparring between council members, law enforcement officials and a handful of area business owners, and the issue was tabled.

With so many empty storefronts lining Main Street and restaurants folding under a crippling economy, why further restrict downtown businesses, some asked.

After two months in a holding pattern, Gray vowed to return and plead his case for longer operating hours.

"I'm very disappointed, that's it," he said.

In other action, the council:

Voted to delay the sale of 400 B St., the city's former homeless shelter, and obtain a second appraisal.

Approved a contract for $1,031,945 to Vulcan Construction and Maintenance Inc., of Fresno to install water meters for the remaining 1,600 unmetered Turlock water customers.

Bee staff writer Merrill Balassone can be reached at mbalassone@modbee.com or 578-2337.