Duke's Wants To Turn Up The Volume With Nightclub Vibes (But Without The Nightclub)

HEALDSBURG, CA — A long-running downtown lounge and bar is asking the city for permission to turn up the volume.

Duke's Spirited Cocktails wants to add indoor amplified music and DJ programming to its Plaza Street operation, a move city staff said could support downtown nightlife.

However, the operations would stop short of becoming a full-fledged nightclub, according to the application and staff reports.

But because the business wants to introduce amplified music, city regulations require a conditional use permit that would allow officials to regulate noise and operational impacts.

In other words, allowing the business to offer live music and late-night entertainment while giving the city tools to curb the kind of late-night scene that worries neighbors— boozy crowds spilling onto streets and booming music echoing into the neighborhood.

The Details

Duke's has occupied 111 Plaza St. for about a decade, and the operators say the location has operated as a bar since about 1933.

Under the proposal on Tuesday's Planning Commission agenda, Duke's would continue operating as a cocktail bar with indoor seating and a parklet. But they would also begin hosting indoor amplified music, occasional DJs, and dancing.

The permit would cap indoor occupancy at 165 people and require at least four trained security personnel during DJ events.

Operators would also have to monitor sound levels, keep doors and windows closed during amplified performances, maintain sound-dampening curtains, and ensure patrons disperse without creating disturbances in the surrounding area.

Proposed conditions would limit live amplified music to specified evening hours, prohibit cover charges, ban outdoor speakers in the parklet, and require compliance with city noise standards.

Dancing and decibels

Under the proposed conditions, the venue would be allowed to operate until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with earlier closing times during the rest of the week.

Live music would be limited to 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Sunday, although special events such as New Year's Eve and the night before Thanksgiving could be held on other days.

On Friday and Saturday, Duke's currently stays open until 2 a.m. and Thursday and Sunday until 12 a.m.

The business would not be allowed to charge a cover fee for events featuring amplified music. Management would also be required to monitor noise levels with a handheld sound meter and ensure sound from the venue does not exceed 60 decibels outside the business during nighttime hours.

Staff reports describe the entertainment component as accessory to the business rather than its primary purpose. The dancing, for example, would be "incidental" and no the operators have no plans to install a dance floor.

Staff recommends approval of the permit, finding the proposal consistent with downtown commercial land-use policies and existing zoning regulations.

The Planning Commission is expected to consider the application during its June 23 meeting.