New Rochelle Cabaret License Changes Set for Public Hearing

New Rochelle residents and business owners will have an opportunity to voice opinions on changes to city code affecting cabaret licenses March 13.

Councilman Ivar Hyden, D-District 4, hoped the proposed legislation would help deal with noise issues.

"I think this would give us the opportunity to have some teeth in the law," he said.

The city currently requires cabarets that are the primary use of their spaces to come before the City Council for a special permit.

Cabarets that are secondary uses, such as restaurants that have a cabaret component but are not the main business, now are not required to have special permits, but require the administrative issuance of a permit by the police department.

Under the proposed legislation, all cabarets with seating from 50 to 250 would be required to apply for a special permit, he said.

Cabarets under 50 seats would be exempt. The maximum occupancy for a cabaret would be 250 seats.

If passed as proposed, the zoning change would require all cabarets to renew their permits every two years, said Corporation Counsel Kathleen Gill, which would allow their track records to be examined.

Councilwoman Shari Rackman, D-District 6, was concerned the changes were over-restrictive.

"I have an objection with the two o'clock cutoff (for secondary use cabarets)," she said. "I think this is giving the City Council a very easy way to prevent clubs from opening."

City Manager Charles Strome III said under the proposed legislation cabaret activity would have to stop at 2 a.m., but it would not prevent the establishment from continuing to serve food and alcohol until 4 a.m.

The public hearing is set for 7:30 p.m. March 13 at City Hall.