Sacramento city leaders are taking steps to ease the permitting process for small businesses looking to bring live entertainment into their spaces. Some small business owners say they are encouraged by the news. The city council recommended preparing for the changes after hearing a presentation Tuesday from Tina Lee Vogt, night time economy manager for the city of Sacramento. “We’re really excited about the opportunity to bring more social activities throughout the area.” The current recreational permit was enacted in 2003, Lee Vogt told the city council. This acts as a one-size-fits-all permit and does not take into account the size or scope of your business or event when applying. Heidi of There and Back Cafe For small business owners like her Rojek, this process has been a “tedious” process. Prevents the expansion of entertainment offerings within the downtown space. “We do our best to be a hub for the community,” Rozek said. “We don’t just go out and get coffee.” Rozek said she was encouraged to hear the city was taking steps to ease the permitting process for businesses like hers. She has high expectations for her own space, and a more streamlined process would help, she said. Bear & Crown’s Joe Wilson agreed. “We support the idea of a new limited recreational permit and look forward to hearing more details as the program further develops,” Wilson said in an emailed statement to KCRA 3 News. , said they hope to see fewer applications. “The existing process is slow, expensive and cumbersome,” Wilson said. “While we understand that the city needs to ensure the safety of patrons of entertainment venues, restaurants with a lone acoustic performer in the background must be subject to the same level of oversight and regulation that is required of nightclubs. “The changes to the permit system come after two city research projects said they would have a positive impact on local businesses. A draft revised city ordinance implementing recreational permits will be submitted to the City Council.Lee Vogt said her team is also looking at ways to increase outreach to local residents about the permitting process.
Sacramento city leaders are taking steps to ease the permitting process for small businesses looking to bring live entertainment into their spaces. Some small business owners say they are encouraged by the news.
The City Council recommended preparing for the changes after hearing a presentation Tuesday from Tina Lee Vogt, Sacramento’s night-time economy director.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to bring more social activities across the city,” she said Wednesday.
The current recreational permit was enacted in 2003, Lee Vogt told the City Council. This acts as a one-size-fits-all permit and does not take into account the size or scope of your business or event in its application.
For small business owners like There and Back Cafe’s Heidi Rojek, this “tedious” process is an impediment to expanding entertainment offerings within their downtown spaces.
“We do our best to be a hub for the community,” Rozek said. “We don’t just grab coffee and go out.”
Rozek said she was encouraged to hear that the city was taking steps to ease the permitting process for businesses like hers. She has high expectations for her own space, and she said her more streamlined process will help.
Bear & Crown’s Joe Wilson agreed.
“We support the idea of a new limited recreational permit and look forward to learning more details as the program further develops,” Wilson said in an emailed statement to KCRA 3 News. Stated.
He also said he would like to see lower application fees, longer permit validity periods and a simpler process so permits can be issued more quickly.
“Existing processes are slow, expensive, and cumbersome to navigate,” Wilson said. “While we understand that the city needs to ensure the safety of patrons of entertainment venues, restaurants with a lone acoustic performer in the background must be subject to the same level of oversight and regulation that is required of nightclubs. It doesn’t have to be.”
The changes to the permit structure come after two city research projects said they would have a positive impact on local businesses.
Within the next six to eight weeks, the Night Economy Bureau plans to submit a proposed city ordinance amendment to the City Council that would introduce limited entertainment permits.
Lee-Vogt said her team is also looking at ways to expand outreach to local residents about the permitting process.
