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[Permit and License Appeal Board on August 15, 2024.]
AND GENTLEMEN.WELCOME TO THE HEARING OF THE PERMANENT LICENSE APPEAL BOARD FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS 8 37 ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2024.
WE HAVE ONE HEARING ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS, APPEALING DENIAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR A LATE HOURS PERMIT.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL DO A ROLL CALL IF PRESENT, PLEASE SAY HERE, UH, I AM PRESENT.
PRESENT, UH, MS. AYALA? MS. WILLIS.
MR. JEFFERSON PRESENT? MR. CILLA? PRESENT.
MR. HAYES, I CAN SEE YOU, BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU MIGHT HEAR ME BETTER IF I UNMUTE.
ALSO SEE YOU, BUT DON'T HEAR YOU.
MR. VERA PRESENT, UH, ABSENT ARE YALA AND WILLIS.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE NEW MEMBER, STEPHANIE KYLE, WHO IS OBSERVING THIS HEARING TODAY, AND WE'LL PARTICIPATE IN THE NEXT HEARING.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
WILL THE OTHERS PRESENT AT TODAY'S HEARING? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, BEGINNING WITH THE BOARD'S GENERAL COUNSEL, DANIEL MOORE, BOARD'S GENERAL COUNSEL.
MR. MOORE, UH, AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
MAYOR SVA MARTINEZ, NANCY SANCHEZ, UH, AND, UH, THE APPELLANT LES AND GINA CANNON WITH TEX PERMITS TO ASSIST MR. ELLIS? YES.
AND, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WITNESSES? NO, WE DON'T.
AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY DAVID WILKINS.
AND MY WITNESS IS DETECTIVE GERARDO MONTREAL.
UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JULY 18TH, 2024 MEETING.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THEM.
IS THERE A MOTION, UH, REGARDING APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 18TH, 2024 MEETING? I MOVED TO APPROVE THE MEETINGS FOR OUR LAST MEETING ON THURSDAY, JULY 18TH, 2024.
UH, VICE CHAIR TORRES MOVES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
UH, IT IS, IT IS A PRETTY CLOSE CALL, BUT I THINK I HEARD MR. JEFF, UH, SECOND.
FIRST, UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? UH, VICE CHAIR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON YOUR MOTION? NO DISCUSSION.
WE'VE REVIEWED THE, THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE JULY 18TH, 2024 MEETING.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY, UH, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE APPEAL HEARING FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS, UH, RODEO WEST DALLAS IS APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A DANCEHALL, DENIAL OF A DANCEHALL LATE HOURS PERMIT UNDER SECTION 14 DASH 3.1 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF FOR THIS HEARING IS ON THE APPELLANT.
UH, AND AT THIS TIME, UH, ANYONE WHO WILL TESTIFY IN THE HEARING WILL BE SWORN IN BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CAMERA, UH, IS ON AND YOU'RE UNMUTED.
AND PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND SO THAT YOU CAN BE SWORN IN.
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DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, THE TESTIMONY YOU WILL GIVE BEFORE THIS BOARD TODAY WILL BE THE TRUTH? THANK YOU.UM, AND FOR THE APPELLANT, UM, MS. CANNON, UM, HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO PRESENT YOUR CASE? 10 MINUTES.
WELL, I THINK WE WENT FOR ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES IN OUR PRACTICE.
SEVEN MINUTES FOR THE CITY, 10 MINUTES FOR THE APPELLANT.
UH, I'LL JUST MAKE IT AN EVEN TENSE TO BOTH.
UM, AND SO WE DO HAVE ONE EXHIBIT FOR THE CITY AND NO EXHIBITS FOR THE APPELLANT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THE BOARD HAS ACCEPTED THOSE INTO EVIDENCE.
UM, MR. MOORE, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE RELEVANT ORDINANCE FOR THE BOARD? CERTAINLY.
MR. CHAIR, AS YOU INDICATED TODAY, THE BOARD HAS, BEFORE IT AN APPEAL OF THE DENIAL OF A LATE HOURS PER PERMIT.
THE BOARD MAY REVERSE THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND GRANTS AN EXEMPTION FROM THE LOCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LATE HOURS PERMIT.
IF THIS BOARD FINDS THE FOLLOWING, ONE, THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED DANCE HALL WILL NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON NEARBY PROPERTY OR BE CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY OR WELFARE.
THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED DANCE HALL WILL NOT DOWNGRADE THE PROPERTY VALUE OR QUALITY OF LIFE IN ANY ADJACENT OR ANY ADJACENT AREA, OR ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OR URBAN BLIGHT.
THREE, THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED DANCE HALL OPERATING UNDER THE LATE HOURS PERMIT WILL BE IN AN AREA THAT IS NOT CONTRARY TO ANY PROGRAM OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION OR INTERFERE WITH ANY EFFECTS OF URBAN RENEWAL OR RESTORATION.
AND FOUR, ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 14 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE WILL BE OBSERVED.
IF THE BOARD FINDS CONTRARY TO ANY ONE OF THESE PREVIOUS STATEMENTS, THEN MS. BOARD MAY AFFIRM THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
UH, WE'LL NOW BEGIN WITH, UH, BRIEF OPENING STATEMENTS.
MS. CANNON, DO YOU WANT TO BEGIN WITH A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT? YES.
UH, GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
RODEO WEST DALLAS HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 2019, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE DANCE DANCEHALL PERMIT AND THE WAY THAT WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS, OR MY CLIENT CONDUCTS BUSINESS ON SITE IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
UM, MR. WILKINS CITY, YOU CAN WAIVE THE OPENING STATEMENT.
THANK, UH, MS. CANNON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, AS I STATED IN 2019, I HELPED, UH, EDUARDO ELLIS OBTAIN A-T-A-B-C PERMIT, A CITY OF DALLAS PERMITS, UH, AND IN THE DANCE HALL PERMIT, ALONG WITH LATE HOURS, LATE HOURS.
SINCE HE HAS BEEN OPEN THROUGH TABC, NOT ONE NEIGHBOR HAS EVER LODGED A NOISE COMPLAINT OR ANY TYPE OF COMPLAINT COMING FROM THE OPERATION OF HIS BUSINESS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WHEN WE FIRST APPLIED FOR THE PERMIT, WE WERE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY ALL NEIGHBORS OF HIS INTENTION OF WHAT HE WAS OPENING WITH LATE HOURS.
AND NOT ONE PERSON OBJECTED AT THAT TIME.
ALSO, UM, THE DANCE HALL, IT, OR I'M, I'M SORRY, RODEO WEST IS OPEN FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, IT IS NOT OPEN EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
OCCASIONALLY, THEY MIGHT BE OPEN ON A SUNDAY FOR A VERY SPECIAL EVENT, BUT IT'S RARE.
APPROXIMATELY 1100 PEOPLE, GUESTS COME THROUGH THERE EVERY WEEK, WHICH IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD IS ALMOST 60,000 PEOPLE.
WE'RE BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE OF NO NEIGHBOR COMPLAINTS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ISSUES IN CONSIDERING A DANCE HALL BEING OPEN UNTIL TWO.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE POLICE REPORTS, UM, THAT THE POLICE CHIEF HAS PROVIDED FOR YOU
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FROM, FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD, FROM MARCH OF 23 TO MARCH OF 24, THEY'VE LISTED 15 INCIDENTS THAT INVOLVE THE POLICE, WHICH WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT MORE CLOSELY, THREE WERE STOLEN VEHICLES, ONE POSSIBLE CARJACKING, UM, ONE FREEWAY INCIDENT.SO IN OUR EYES, FIVE OF THE THINGS HAPPENED EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR PARTICULAR BUSINESS.
IT'S A, IT'S A THEFT OF A VEHICLE STOLEN, LEFT UNATTENDED IN THE PARKING LOT.
THERE ARE TWO MINOR INCIDENTS, MINOR DISTURBANCES, UH, ISSUED.
ONE DIDN'T EVEN RECEIVE A CITATION.
THERE'S ONE INCIDENT WHERE SOMEONE KICKED A VEHICLE, WHICH COULD OCCUR IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT.
THERE'S TWO INCIDENTS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE RESTAURANT LOCATED NOT NEXT DOOR, NOT MY CLIENT, RODEO WEST.
SO IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD, THE POLICE HAVE SIX INCIDENTS IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD OCCURRING UP UNTIL 2:00 AM THAT ARE SOME, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO RODEO WEST.
I HAVE TWO ASSAULTS AND AN INJURED.
UM, THE TWO ASSAULTS, THE PERSONS WERE REMOVED BY THE BOUNCERS, AND THE POLICE WERE CALLED ONE INJURED PERSON, WHERE A BOTTLE WAS THROWN AND THE PERSON WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND TREATED.
SO CONSIDERING 60,000 PEOPLE IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD, THAT HAS TO BE THE LOWEST OCCURRENCES OF ISSUES FOR THE POLICE AT ANY DANCE HALL IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
FROM THE 2:00 AM TO 4:00 AM PERIOD, TWO POLICE REPORTS WERE GENERATED.
ONE, THE BOUNCERS REMOVED SOMEONE AND CALLED THE POLICE, AND THE PERSON WAS TAKEN TO JAIL.
THE SECOND ONE WAS A STOLEN VEHICLE AT 3:46 AM SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE POLICE'S OWN RECORDS, AS FAR AS A DANCE HALL IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, IN THE REGULAR OPERATING HOURS AND IN THE TWO TO 4:00 AM HOURS, VERY, VERY LOW POLICE NEED.
AND I'M GOING TO LET MS, IS IT ALRIGHT IF I LET MR. ELLIS TALK PART OF MY TIME? UH, YEAH.
MR. ELLIS WILL ADDRESS HOW PEOPLE, UM, ARE ISSUED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT WHEN THEY CLOSE.
WELL, THE REASON WE'RE ASKING IS NOT THAT WE NEED ALL TWO HOURS FROM TWO TO FOUR, IT'S JUST SO WHENEVER PEOPLE LEAVE AT TWO IN THE MORNING, THEY CAN COME OUT IN THE ORDERLY WAY WHERE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND THEY CAN SOME WAVE.
AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE A BIG OLD CROWD IN THE FRONT THAT WOULD, THAT'S THE REASON WE, WE NEED THE EXTRA HOUR IF YOU GUYS WANNA, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR.
BUT I KNOW IT'S FROM TWO TO FOUR.
BUT IT DOES HELP US A LOT TO, TO HAVE THAT, UH, EXTRA TIME JUST SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER, WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE, THERE'S AN EASIER WAY FOR US TO HANDLE THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE LEAVING THE, THE BUILDING AND, UH, WITH THE OUTSIDE NOISE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THIS, UH, HEARING TOO.
UH, WE DO, WE, WE REMODEL OUR, OUR BUILDING IS, IT'S, UH, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT'S A 100% SOLID PROOF NOISE REDUCTION, BUT IT DOES HAVE A 90% WHERE WE HAVE, UH, INSULATED THE WHOLE AREA'S GOT NEW DOORS, AND IT'S, AND THEN WE HAVE A SECURITY GUARD THAT KEEPS THAT DOOR CLOSED FOR US AT ALL TIMES.
ANYTHING YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO ASK? YOU CAN.
SO THE RESTAURANT TAKES GREAT, UM, CARE IN, IN, UM, REMOVING, UH, PATRONS VERY SAFELY TO THEIR CARS, UM, MAKING SURE NO ONE LEAVES INTOXICATED.
UM, THERE IS ONE, UH, RECORD OF PUBLIC INTOXICATION IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD IN THEIR, UH, PARKING LOT BECAUSE THE PERSON REFUSED TO RIDE HOME WITH THEIR FRIENDS.
SO, UM, WE, THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO SHOW THE BOARD IS WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERY DANCE HALL IS APPLYING WITH THE CITY STANDARDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN RESIDENTS ARE LOCATED WITHIN SO MANY FEET BEHIND THE ACTUAL, UH, DANCE HALL OR, UH, EVENT CENTER.
SO YOU, WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THESE PERMITS ONCE A YEAR AND EVERY YEAR THEY'RE APPROVED.
SO WE WERE KIND OF SURPRISED, WELL, I'M SORRY.
NO, LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE BOARD ALSO.
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HAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DALLAS POLICE THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO HIS AREA AND THEY TALK TO HIM REGULARLY.UM, THEY'RE VERY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY HE HAS PEOPLE EXIT THE FACILITY WHEN THE EVENING HAS COME TO A, A HALT.
IS THAT ABOUT IT? THAT'S ABOUT IT, YEAH.
JUST LETTING YOU ONE MORE TIME KNOW THAT WE, WE, THE, THAT CLUB IS CLOSED BEFORE, UH, THREE O'CLOCK FROM LETTING EVERYBODY COME OUT OF THE BUILDING OR THE CLUB.
SO IN A BETTER FASHION WAY THAN HAVING EVERYONE COMING OUT.
THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WE DO NEED, UH, THE EIGHT HOURS.
UH, MR. WILKINS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPELLATE WITNESS? UH, NO.
UH, WE'LL PROCEED WITH BOARD QUESTIONING.
UM, VICE CHAIR TORRES, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPELLANT? UH, MR. WILLIS, CAN YOU JUST REITERATE, UM, HOW A DENIAL, UM, OF THE LATE HOURS WOULD AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS? ELLIS? MR. ELLIS? YES.
WE DO HELP EVERYONE IF, IF THERE IS, WE HAVE, WE PROVIDE OUR OWN UBERS, WE MAKE SURE THE FAMILIES CALLED.
SO WE KIND OF DO NEED THAT EXTRA TIME JUST FOR THOSE TYPE OF REASONS THAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT EVERYTHING WORKS FOR, FOR, FOR THE CUSTOMER.
'CAUSE I CONSIDER 'EM TO BE A CUSTOMER FOR, FOR MY CLUB AND FOR US THAT NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS OR GOES WRONG WHEN THEY LEAVE OUR GLOVE FINANCIALLY.
UM, IF, IF THEY DO HAVE A TV PERMIT THAT ALLOWS 'EM TO SERVE ALCOHOL UNTIL TWO, WHAT THIS PERMIT IS, IS TO ALLOW DANCING WITH THE MUSIC VENUE UNTIL TWO.
SO IF THEY HAVE TO STOP DANCING AT MIDNIGHT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY BEGIN TO LEAVE AT MIDNIGHT INSTEAD OF TWO.
SO IT WILL COST THEM AFTER THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS TO BE A GOOD BUSINESS IN DALLAS.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD COST, BUT IT WOULD, THEY, THEY WOULD SUFFER A LOSS IF THAT'S TAKEN AWAY AFTER THEY'VE MET EVERY STANDARD AND MADE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE NOT INTERRUPTED IN THEIR EVENING BY HEARING MUSIC COME FROM THEIR FACILITY.
AND HOW MANY, UM, OCCUPANTS DO YOU HAVE IN A NIGHT APPROXIMATELY? ON, ON A GOOD, ON A GOOD FRIDAY, WE MIGHT HAVE A FIVE, FIVE TO 800 ON A SATURDAY WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT.
ANYTHING FROM, UH, FROM, UH, 600 TO 800 PEOPLE.
UM, MR. JEFFERSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? UH, YOU'RE ON MUTE, I BELIEVE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
MR. CIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPELLANT? I HAVE A FEW.
UM, IF YOU COULD JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU SAID YOU REMODELED THE BUILDING AND IT WAS THE DOORS THAT YOU FOCUSED ON.
WHAT ELSE DID YOU DO TO, IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN REDUCING NOISE? UH, WE INSULATED THE AREA, UH, WHICH IS IN THE, IT'S IN THE REAR I, THAT ONE DOOR IN THE REAR.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE KEEP, UH, UH, A SECURITY GUARD AT ALL TIMES TO MAKE SURE THE DOORS ARE, THE ONE DOOR THAT WE HAVE BACK THERE IS CLOSED.
SO WE, WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE A INSULATED AREA.
AND SO YOU, IT WAS, YOUR ATTORNEY MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE OPEN 2019.
WHEN DID YOU HANDLE THAT REMODELING? UH, WE DID THE REMODELING.
'CAUSE WE, UH, WE'VE DONE IT LAST, UH, TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE DID, UH, ONE WHEN WE FIRST OPENED.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, I, I CANNOT GIVE YOU
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A SPECIFIC DATE ON IT, BUT IT'S BEEN CLOSE TO, UH, TWO YEARS.AND THEN IN REGARD TO, UM, YOU SAID, I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LATE HOURS PERMIT, THEN WHAT, WHAT GENERALLY IS YOUR PLAN? WHAT'S YOUR PLAN B? WELL, WE WE'RE, I'M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU AND TELL YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A PLAN B YET, BUT WE'RE HOPING WE DON'T NEED TO GET A PLAN B BECAUSE I THINK WE DO PRETTY GOOD WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE CLUB.
AND WE TRY HARD TO KEEP IT FROM OUR NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORS AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT GO IN THERE FOR THEM TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND, AND EVERYBODY LEAVING A GOOD WAY OR ORDERLY FASHION WAY.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
MR. JEFFS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. HAYES, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UH, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, THE VIOLATION OF PROXIMITY IS THAT THERE IS A PROPERTY LINE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITHIN 75 FEET OF THE BACK CORNER OF YOUR ESTABLISHMENT.
HOW FAR IS IT, DO YOU KNOW, TO ANY PLACE WHERE ANYBODY ACTUALLY LIVES? IT IS, IT'S, UH, I WOULD SAY IT'S APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 7,500.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE OF, I HAD SENT ONE OF MY MANAGERS TO GO TALK TO THE MANAGER OF THE APARTMENTS TO SEE IF WE HAD ANY, IF THEY HAD HAD ANY ISSUES.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY'VE NEVER REALLY COMPLAINED OR SAID THAT WE, THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GETTING AWAKE OR, OR THEY WERE, UH, WE WERE MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE.
WE TRY TO KEEP THE AREA CLEAN FROM PEOPLE GOING BACK THERE AND, UH, AT NIGHT.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE, WE DON'T DISTURB OUR NEIGHBORS.
BUT I WOULD SAY ABOUT, WE'RE APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AWAY, AND THERE'S A FENCE TOO THAT'S, THAT'S IN BETWEEN THE 75 FEET.
SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH, UH, GOT A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM IN BETWEEN THEM.
UH, MR. QUINT, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
MS. SHIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
MR. ELLIS, UM, WAS LAST YEAR THE FIRST YEAR THAT YOU APPLIED FOR THE LATE HOURS PERMIT? YES, MA'AM.
WE, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE, UH, WE, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAD SOMEONE COME OVER AND ASK US THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A LAID OUR A PERMIT.
AND THEN IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, THE STREET IN FRONT OF YOUR VENUE IS ONE WAY BECAUSE IT'S A LONG WALTON WALKER, RIGHT? UM, YES, MA'AM.
THERE WAS SOME TRAFFIC CONCERNS LAST YEAR.
THERE, HAVE YOU ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THAT? I WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF WRONG WITH THAT.
IT IS LIKE A MINOR SMALL ROAD THAT GOES ON THE FRONT, BUT IT GOES TO A, IF YOU COULD TELL IF, IF YOU LOOKING AT THE MAP, IT'S ANOTHER BIG, UH, GARAGE THAT'S RIGHT IN, UH, FRONT OF THE, OF THE CLUB, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE CLUB.
AND THE FRONT IS, IT WOULD BE THE FREEWAY.
DO YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME TRAFFIC CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD LAST YEAR, OR HAVE THOSE IMPROVED? IT STILL, IT IS STILL THE SAME MAN.
IT'S, IT IS NOT CHANGED ANYTHING.
WE NOT HAVE ANY, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT OR ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANYONE THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE ROAD OR, OR WHERE THERE'S A BLOCKAGE OR SOMETHING THAT I, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHEN THE PEOPLE LEAVE, THEY GO TO OVER LAN PARKWAY OR KELAND PARKWAY, AND THEN THEY COUNT, GO OFF THE FREEWAY.
IT COMES OUT OF THE BUILDING, GOES TO
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR THIS AT THIS TIME.
UH, MR. VERA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
UM, I, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST, MS. CANNON, UH, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD YOU, BUT I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT, UM, THE APPELLANT WAS SEEKING THE LATE HOURS PERMIT SO THAT HE COULD STAY OPEN UNTIL 2:00 AM DOESN'T THE LATE HOURS PERMIT ALLOW HIM TO STAY OPEN UNTIL FOUR? AM I, I APOLOGIZE.
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IS LATE HOURS UNTIL 2:00 AM AND ALL ALCOHOL MUST BE REMOVED BY TWO 15.THE DANCE HALL PERMIT IS A REQUEST TO BE ABLE TO DANCE UNTIL 2:00 AM.
IT, THE DOESN'T, THE DANCE HALL PERMIT THAT HE HAS ALREADY ALLOW THEM TO STAY OPEN UNTIL 2:00 AM YES, SIR.
THE, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD, THE ONLY REASON WE ASKED FOR THIS LATE HOURS IS NOT 'CAUSE WE WANNA STAY OPEN, IS THAT WE WANNA, WE WANT, WE WANNA JUST LET PEOPLE GET OUT.
'CAUSE AFTER TWO O'CLOCK WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ELSE.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LET THE PEOPLE GET OUT IN A BETTER WAY.
OR WE DON'T HAVE FIGHTS IN THE OUTSIDE WHERE PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR OVER TRYING TO GET ON THEIR CARS AND GO, IT, IT, IT WOULD HELP US A LOT.
THE LATE HOURS FOR DANCING STARTS AT TWO.
SO, SO BASICALLY YOU WANT THE, THE LATE HOURS PERMIT, JUST SO YOU CAN WIND DOWN SLOWLY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO JUST MAKE EVERYBODY LEAVE AT 2:00 AM YES.
BEFORE THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, WE ALREADY, OUR DOORS ALREADY CLOSED.
IT'S JUST THE WAY WE LET THE PEOPLE GO AND GET OUT AND LIKE
SO YOU, YOU'RE NOT LETTING NEW PEOPLE IN AFTER 2:00 AM OH, I'M SORRY.
NO, NOBODY GOES IN, NO, EVERYBODY GOES OUT AT TWO O'CLOCK.
AFTER TWO O'CLOCK, NOBODY GOES IN AND WE'RE JUST LETTING PEOPLE OUT.
THERE'S NO REASON TO COME BACK IN THE CLOUD.
AND YOU, YOU DON'T THINK THAT STAYING OPEN LATE IS GONNA HAVE ANY KIND OF DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX? WELL, THE, THE ONLY REASON THAT I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A VERY BAD SITUATION.
IT'S BECAUSE THE, THE APARTMENTS ARE IN THE BACK BUILDING, NOT IN THE FRONT.
SO, OR PEOPLE GO OUT THE FRONT WAY AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO, LIKE WITH THE APARTMENTS.
IT, IT IS NOT GONNA BOTHER THEM AT, AT, AT, AT THAT TIME.
AND IT WOULD BE A LOT, UH, IF IT WAS THAT WE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING, THEN I WOULD CONSIDER HAVING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO HELP OUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, BEHIND US.
AND ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY, I'M SORRY.
I SAID NO ONE WANTS 500 PEOPLE DRIVING BY THEIR RESIDENCE.
ARE, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY KIND OF NEW DEVELOPMENT OR URBAN RENEWAL THAT'S GOING ON IN THAT AREA? NO, SIR.
UH, I'VE ACTUALLY THE, UH, HAVE NOT NOTICED ANYTHING.
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYTHING ON THE MAIL.
'CAUSE USUALLY YOU'LL GET SOMETHING FROM CITY OF DALLAS, BUT THERE NOTHING HAS BEEN SENT TO US OR SENT A NOTICE OR ANYTHING THROUGH THE MAIL WHERE IT SHOWS THAT SOMETHING'S GONNA GET BILLED.
THEY'RE NEW OR SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO DO WITH APARTMENTS OR, OR HOUSES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I'LL GO THROUGH, UH, QUICKLY AND SEE IF ANY MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS IN THE SECOND ROUND.
UH, VICE CHAIR TORRES, NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
UH, MR. JEFFERSON? NO QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. CILLA? NO QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S MR. JEFF.
CHAIR MR. HAYES? NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
CHAIR MS. SHIN, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, THAT BEING THE CASE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CITY.
MR. WILKINS, YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, CITY CALLS DETECTIVE ARD MONTREAL AMONG ALL.
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M DETECTIVE MON, UH, GERARDO RE I'VE BEEN WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 28 YEARS.
AND WHAT UNIT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN? CURRENTLY I'M WORKING WITH THE, UM, VICE UNIT LICENSING DEPARTMENT.
AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THAT UNIT? BEEN WITH THE UNIT FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS.
WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE VICE UNIT? RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CURRENTLY ARE WE PROCESS, UH, DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS FROM SEXUAL ORIENTED BUSINESS,
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UH,WE VERIFY THAT ALL DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED ARE SUBMITTED.
UH, WE GO OVER THOSE DOCUMENTS AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE APPLICANT IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF, UH, DOCUMENTS MISSING.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE BUSINESS KNOWN AS RODEO WEST DALLAS LOCATED AT 7 0 4 SOUTH WALTON WALKER BOULEVARD? YES, I AM.
DID YOU REVIEW THE APPLICATION FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS AND DANCE HALL LAID OUT PERMIT? YES, I DID.
TURNING TO TAB ONE IN THE BINDER, CAN YOU BRIEFLY DE DESCRIBE THIS APPLICANT'S APPLICATION HISTORY? THE, UH, APPLICANT ON, UM, JANUARY OF 2023.
APPLICANT WAS SUBMITTED FEBRUARY OF THAT 2023.
THE ZONING SURVEY WAS, UH, DONE ON MARCH OF 2023.
CITY SURVEY WAS DONE WITH AN AREA PHOTOGRAPH ON MARCH OF 2023.
A DANCE HALL, UH, WAS DANCE HALL LICENSE WAS APPROVED AND THE UH, LATE HOURS WAS DENIED AT THAT TIME.
UH, LATE HOURS WAS DENIED DUE TO THE, UH, 1000 FEET WITHIN, UH, A RESIDENTIAL AREA, WHICH WAS NOT ON.
NOW, ON MAY OF 2023, THERE WAS UP A FIVE HEARING THAT WAS, UH, HEARD THE ARGUMENTS, UH, FOR LATE HOURS ON MARCH OF 2024 I, OH, I'M SORRY, ON MAY OF 2023, THE, UH, APPLIED HEARING DID GRANT THEM A ONE YEAR, UH, LATE HOURS PERMIT, WHICH WAS JUST LAST YEAR.
ON MARCH OF THIS YEAR, A RENEWAL FOR A DANCE HALL APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
DANCE HALL AND LATE HOURS, UM, OF, OF, UH, APRIL 24TH, A DANCE HALL WAS APPROVED, BUT THE LATE HOURS WAS AGAIN, DENIED ONLY 'CAUSE THE APARTMENTS ARE STILL THERE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET.
SO THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC DENIAL.
AND, UH, ON SIXTH OF 2024, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY WAS CONTACTED TO, UM, CORRECT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BACK AND FORTH BY THE, WE'RE CURRENTLY HERE.
SO TO SUMMARIZE, UH, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY A YEAR AGO THEY APPLIED FOR DANCE HALL IN LATE HOURS, CAME BEFORE THE BOARD ON APPEAL AND GOT THEIR LATE HOURS.
IT BEEN A YEAR THEY'RE UP FOR RENEWAL.
TURNING TO TAB FIVE, UM, IS THIS THE APPLICATION YOU REVIEWED? THIS IS THE APPLICATION, AND YOU SAID THAT THEY WERE DENIED SOLELY FOR THE LOCATIONAL RESTRICTION OF BEING WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A RESIDENCE? YES.
UM, TURNING BACK TO TAB TWO, LAST PAGE OF IT.
DOES THIS SHOW WHERE THE RESIDENCE IS IN RELATION TO THE BUSINESS? YES, IT DOES.
A AND IS IT THOSE, UH, WOODRIDGE APARTMENTS? CORRECT.
UM, IS THE DENIAL FOR LOCATION RESTRICTION DISCRETIONARY ON YOUR PART? IT IS NOT DISCRETIONARY.
IS THIS CALLS PER SERVICE AT THE ADDRESS? YES, IT IS.
AND THIS IS FOR THE ADDRESS? RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S EVERYTHING THERE THAT'S THE ADDRESS.
'CAUSE IT, UH, WHEN WE, UH, PUT INTO THE, UH, SYSTEM, IT GIVES US A WHOLE ADDRESS, WHICH IS IN SHOPPING CENTER.
BUT, UH, IN REVIEWING THE, THE ACTUAL CALLS FOR SERVICE AND, AND BRIEF REPORTS, UH, YOU ARE AWARE THAT A NUMBER OF THOSE WERE ACTUALLY NOT CAUGHT BY THE CLUB, RIGHT? YES.
PART OF THE, UM, PART OF THE PART DOCUMENTS THAT WE LOOK AT, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THAT.
HOW MANY CALLS ACTUALLY CAME FROM THAT, UH, BUSINESS.
UM, I, UH, BROKE IT DOWN INTO, UH, THE CALLS THAT WERE GENERATED, OFFENSE REPORTS GENERATED AND CALLS BETWEEN TWO TO FOUR ONE.
NOW TURNING TO TAB NINE, UM, THIS IS CALLS FOR SERVICE GENERATED OR REPORTS GENERATED FROM TWO TO 4:00 AM RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND HOW MANY REPORTS WERE GENERATED? THERE WAS ONLY TWO REPORTS GENERATED FOR, UM, TWO REPORTS GENERATED FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, UM, THAT, UM, WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLUB ITSELF.
AND IS THAT A HIGH NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR BUSINESS OF THIS TYPE? THAT IS A VERY LOW NUMBER FOR ANY, ANY CLUB BASED.
AND BASED ON THE INCIDENT REPORTS, UH, WAS THERE A PATTERN OF CRIME AT THIS LOCATION? THERE WAS NO PATTERN OF CRIME.
IT'S MORE OF A, A VERY LOW NUMBERS.
I THINK EVERY, EVERY CLUB WOULD WOULD SEEK TO GET SOMETHING.
AND ASIDE FROM THE LOCATION RESTRICTION OF BEING WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A RESIDENCE, IS THERE ANY OTHER REASON TO DENY THE APPLICANT'S STANCE HALL RADAR PERMIT THAT YOU KNOW OF? NO OTHER REASON.
UM, I KNOW THEY HAD BARRIERS BETWEEN THE CLUB AND THE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THERE'S NO, UH, WAY OF ANY CUSTOMER FROM THE CLUB GOING INTO THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY AROUND TO A DIFFERENT STREET TO TRY TO GET INTO THEM.
[00:35:01]
THE, UH, CLUB HAVE, UH, FOUR OTHER DIFFERENT EXITS THAT LEAD INTO A HIGHWAY OR DIFFERENT ROAD, BUT NEVER INTO THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.UH, MS. CANNON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY'S WITNESS? UM, NO SIR.
THEN WE'LL PROCEED WITH BOARD QUESTIONING, UH, VICE CHAIR TOURS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY'S WITNESS? UH, DETECTIVE RELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THESE REPORTS.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S REALLY ALL WE HAVE TO GO BY.
I TRY TO CONVINCE 'EM TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU.
YEAH, NO, THIS IS REALLY GREAT.
UM, NOW I DID HAVE A QUESTION.
WHENEVER YOU'RE CREATING THE REPORT, IT SAYS THERE'S A TOTAL OF 9 1 1 CALLS IS 33, BUT THAT'S FOR THE ACTUAL BUSINESS, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S FOR THE ENTIRE 7 0 4 SHOP WALKER, WHICH IS THE ENTIRE SHOPPING CENTER.
SO THEN WHAT IS FROM 33? ONLY 15 BECAME ACTUAL OFFENSES THAT WERE REPORTABLE.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL CALL POLICE FROM MAYBE A SHOPPING CENTER.
UH, THEY'LL REPORT SOMETHING, UH, THEY'LL GET ON THEIR CARS AND THEY, UM, YEAH.
SO WHEN POLICE SHOW UP, SHOW UP, THEY CIRCLE OR GO THROUGH THERE AND THERE'S NO COMPLAINANT, NOBODY THERE TO TALK TO.
NOBODY THAT WANTS TO, UH, MAKE ANY TYPE OF REPORT OR ANY OTHER
UH, THERE WAS A NINE ONE ONE CALL WITH OFFICERS RE RESPONDED, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYBODY THERE OR THERE WAS NOTHING.
UH UH, THERE WAS NO COMPLAINANT.
AND THEN SIX WERE ONLY FROM TWO TO FOUR AT THIS LOCATION, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT THE SIX IS VERSUS THE TWO? YES, BECAUSE I TRIED TO BREAK IT DOWN BETWEEN, UH, THEY WERE APPLYING FOR THAT EIGHT HOURS.
SO WHAT IS THE ISSUE BETWEEN THOSE TIMES? ALL I HAD WAS SIX, UH, POLICE CALLS DURING THAT TIME.
SIX, SIX CALLS FOR THAT WHOLE YEAR DURING THE TIMES OF SIX.
I MEAN, UH, 2:00 AM TO 4:00 AM OKAY.
OUTTA THOSE SIX CALLS, THERE WAS AGAIN, ONLY TWO POLICE REPORTS CAME IN.
BUT YEAH, SO SIX PEOPLE CALLED, UH, AGAIN, SOMETIMES THEY'LL CALL 'CAUSE THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES, UH, GETTING HOME OR THEY GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT.
BUT USUALLY A LOT OF TIMES AT A CLUB THEY'LL JUMP IN WITH A BRAND FAMILY MEMBER OR SO AND THEY'LL JUST DRIVE AWAY.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THAT THAT HAPPENS.
UH, MR. JEFFERSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY'S WITNESS? UH, YES.
I WANTED TO, UH, ALSO THANK THE, UH, DETECTIVE, UH, FOR HIS TESTIMONY.
BUT I'M CONFUSED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX SEEMS TO BE THE MAJOR REASON I, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC DENIAL BECAUSE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX BEING, UH, SO CLOSE.
UH, CITY OF DALLAS DOES NOT GET BRANCHES ANY, UH, LEEWAY ON THAT WITH PUT IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET.
SO WAS THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX JUST BUILT OR WHAT WAS THE DEAL? BECAUSE IT'S, UH, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS BILLED, BUT I, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN OTHER CLUBS OR OTHER EVENTS CENTERS THERE MANY YEARS PRIOR TO THAT.
UH, UM, BUT I COULD NOT TELL YOU WHEN IT WAS BILLED.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, GOING BY THERE, THERE'S NO ACCESS FROM THE APARTMENT, FROM THE UH, UH, SHOPPING CENTER TO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND TO TAKE A DIFFERENT STREET TO GO THERE 'CAUSE THERE'S BARRIERS SET BETWEEN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE WHOLE SHOPPING CENTER.
ALRIGHT, MR. ILLA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DETECTIVE? UH, JUST ONE, I BELIEVE.
UH, DETECTIVE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR INFORMATION.
UM, THE WAS MENTIONED BY THE OWNER THAT YOU, THAT HE HAS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE IS, WOULD YOU CONFIRM THAT OR, UM, ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS OWNER OR IS IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE A REALLY GOOD RUN BUSINESS AND, BUT I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIM.
IT IS A PRETTY GOOD RUN BUSINESS.
'CAUSE I KNOW, UH, HE DOES HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH POLICE THERE.
UM, I KNOW WE ATTEMPTED TO DO, WELL, WE'VE DONE OTHER INSPECTIONS ON, UM, UH, ON JUST, WE SHOW UP A LOT OF TIMES LICENSING UNIT.
OUR UNIT SHOWS UP UNEXPECTEDLY TO TRY TO CHECK ON THE CLUB, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, UH, THAT THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB AND
[00:40:01]
HAVE SECURITY THAT THEY'RE NO UNDERAGE DRINKING.UH, CHECK THEIR PERMITS, CHECK THEIR LIQUOR, AND THEY'VE DONE WELL.
UM, WE, THEY DO WORK WELL 'CAUSE THEY DO HAVE SECURITY THERE.
UM, THEY DO TRY TO PUSH PEOPLE OUT.
UM, IT'S AN OLDER, OLDER CROWD THAT GOES TO THAT CLUB.
UH, THEY DO TRY TO PUSH PEOPLE OUT AFTER 2 15, 2 O'CLOCK.
I KNOW THEY CHANGE THE MUSIC SO THEY COULD, PEOPLE CAN GRADUALLY START LEAVING USUALLY BY 3:00 AM EVERYBODY'S GONE.
UH, SO THEY DO USE THAT EXTRA HOUR TO TRY TO GET ALL THOSE, ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS OUT.
UH, I WOULD IMAGINE IN PERCENTAGES OR STAGES TO, TO THEM IT'S A LITTLE EASIER.
I'VE SEEN 'EM USE, UH, GIVE WATER TO A LOT OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND TRY TO, UH, I WOULD IMAGINE, UH, TRY TO BUILD THAT RAPPORT SO THEY COULD COME BACK OR THEY, THEY TRY TO DO THEIR PART.
UM, JEFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DETECTIVE? I DO NOT.
UH, AGAIN, LET ME ALSO REITERATE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND FOR BEING HERE, DETECTIVE AMAL.
AND THE FORMAT OF YOUR REPORT IN THE EXHIBIT WAS VERY HELPFUL THIS TIME.
UM, WE GRANTED A ONE YEAR EXTENSION A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO TO THE SAME OPERATION.
HAS ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE CHANGED IN YOUR MIND, DETECTIVE IN THE INTERVENING YEAR? NO, SIR.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UM, ACTUALLY THE, UH, REPORTS GENERATED ACTUALLY WENT DOWN, UH, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
SO THERE'S HASN'T BEEN ANY CHANGE, UH, WHICH A LOT OF TIMES SAYS, SAYS A LOT OF, UH, I THINK THE WAY HE'S RUNNING IT OR THE SECURITY THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED, UH, THERE AT THE LOCATION, I THINK THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.
UH, MR. QUINT, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, CHAIR.
UH, DETECTIVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR LONG 28 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
WE, WE TRULY APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR LOYALTY AND YOUR SERVICE, SO THANK YOU.
IF IT WAS SOLELY UP TO YOU, IGNORE THE LAW ITSELF, BUT SOLELY UP TO YOU KNOWING THAT, THAT THERE WAS ONLY TWO REPORTS FROM TWO TO 4:00 AM NO COMPLAINTS FROM THE APARTMENTS, UM, SINCE THEIR INCEPTION, WOULD YOU GRANT THE EXTENSION? I KNOW IT'S NOT UP TO ME.
THAT HA I CAN'T BE BY, BUT AGAIN, UM, THEY HAVE, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUES.
UM, UM, IT'S JUST A BUSINESS THAT'S BEEN RUNNING GREAT.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
AND SO, SO I KNOW IT'S NOT UP TO YOU, BUT IF IT WAS SOLELY UP TO YOU, WOULD YOU GRANT IT? UH, YES, I WOULD.
UH, MS. SHIN, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. VEER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST ONE QUESTION.
UH, THANK YOU DETECTIVE FOR BEING HERE.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THAT, IN, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, DO YOU SEE A BENEFIT TO HAVING THIS, UM, TWO PERIOD WINDOW IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE, UH, PERMITTED TO LEAVE AS OPPOSED TO EVERYONE HAVING TO LEAVE AT ONCE? UH, COULD YOU SPEAK TO YOUR EXPERIENCE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT, IF ANY ISSUES YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE HERE IF, IF THAT WAS THE CASE? UM, MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE, I I HAVE WORKED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CLUBS.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S AN OLDER CROWD, UH, LEAVING, NOT ALLOWING EVERYBODY TO LEAVE AT ONE TIME, I THINK CAUSES MORE OF A CHAOS.
PEOPLE EXITING, TRYING, EVERYBODY PUNCHES UP, TRYING TO LEAVE.
IF YOU STAGGER THEM LEAVING AFTER 2:00 AM LET'S SAY THEY DO CLOSE AT TWO 15, WELL, THEY START SHUTTING THE MUSIC DOWN.
A LOT OF CLOTHES WILL CHANGE THE MUSIC TO INSTEAD OF, UH, WHAT THEY'RE ORIGINALLY PLAYING TO A LITTLE BIT SOFTER MUSIC, MAYBE COUNTRY, I DON'T KNOW WHY COUNTRY THEY ALWAYS PUT, BUT IT'S, IT CALMS PEOPLE DOWN.
PEOPLE START LEAVING STAGES AND IT ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO LEAVE, UH, IN AN ORDERLY FASHION INSTEAD OF JUST EVERYBODY RUSHING AT ONE TIME.
IT ALLOWS THE TRAFFIC, IT ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO, UH, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALLOWS THOSE THAT MAY HAVE DRANK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO JUST STAY THERE AN HOUR LONGER SOBER UP.
AND I'VE SEEN THIS CLUB, UH, HAND OUT WATERS TO A LOT OF THE PATRONS THERE, WHICH IS, UH, GREAT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY TALKING TO THE OWNER.
'CAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE DO THEY DO, UM, TO TRY TO HELP CUSTOMERS.
THEY DO OFFER TO TRY TO GET AHOLD OF PEOPLE'S, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS.
THEY SEE SOMEBODY THAT'S, UH, INTOXICATED.
UH, THEY'LL TRY, THEY CAN'T GET AHOLD OF A FAMILY MEMBER.
THEY HAVE A LOCKBOX WHERE THEY TAKE THEIR KEYS AWAY AND THEY CALL UBERS
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FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY, UH, GIVE THEM A NOTE.KEYS ARE HERE WITH US, COME BACK NEXT MORNING.
SO I THINK THEY, THEY DO A POSITIVE.
UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, AND ALSO I WANNA ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY SAID ABOUT THE FORMAT OF YOUR REPORTS.
THE SUMMARIES ARE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS, UH, FROM THE APARTMENT COMPLEX REGARDING THE CLUB.
I, UH, WELL IN ALL THE REPORTS THERE, I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING.
AND WERE YOU EVER ABLE TO VISIT THERE AT NIGHT AND HEAR HOW MUCH NOISE THERE IS OUTSIDE OF THE CLUB? I, I'LL GO BY THERE AND WE, UM, THE TIMES THAT WE'VE INSPECTED, LIKE I I SAID YOU CAN'T HEAR THE, UH, MUSIC OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, LOCATION, OUT OF THE OUTSIDE THAT BUILDING.
IT'S JUST ALL INSIDE THAT BUILDING.
UM, I'LL GO THROUGH AGAIN QUICKLY TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS.
UM, VICE CHAIR TORRES, NO QUESTIONS.
MR. JEFF IS NO QUESTIONS MR. HAYES? NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL NOW HEAR, UH, BRIEF CLOSING STATEMENTS IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ONE BEGINNING WITH, UM, MS. CANNON FOR THE APPELLANT.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, THE CLIENT BELIEVES HE'S BEING A VERY GOOD BUSINESS OWNER IN DALLAS AND VERY RESPONSIBLE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, MR. WILKINS? YES, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, IN OPPOSING STATEMENT TO THE BOARD TO CONVEY TO THE APPELLANT THAT IF, IF THE BOARD GRANTS YOUR, UH, LATE HOURS PERMIT, UH, WE'LL BE BACK HERE NEXT YEAR FOR ANOTHER APPEAL.
I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO ENCOURAGE THE APPELLANT TO ASK HIS CONSULTANT TO REACH OUT TO ME WHEN THE, WHEN THE APPEAL NOTICE COMES, GIMME A CALL.
WE CAN TALK THROUGH, UH, THE ORDINANCE, WE CAN TALK THROUGH THE REQUIREMENTS, AND WE CAN TALK THROUGH THE EVIDENCE AND, AND REALLY DISTILL WHAT ACTUALLY IS IN DISPUTE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A MORE EFFICIENT HEARING NEXT, NEXT TIME.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD REGARDING THE DENIAL OF THE DANCE HOU DANCE HALL LATE HOURS PERMIT FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS? MAY I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER? MR. CHAIR, UH, RECOGNIZE MR. HAYES FOR A POINT OF ORDER? IS IT, IS IT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW AT THIS TIME TO GRANT A TWO YEAR EXTENSION? UH, I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS NO.
UH, I CAN READ THAT STANDARD FOR YOU IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO THE BOARD MAY GRANT A TWO YEAR EXTENSION IF THE BOARD FINDS THE DANCEHALL HAS BEEN GRANTED AN EXEMPTION FROM THE LOCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS PROCEEDING THE CURRENT EXEMPTION REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT HAS NOT HAD ANY DANCEHALL LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 24 MONTHS.
AND NO VIOLATIONS OF CHAPTER 14 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY THE APPLICANT OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE APPLICANT WITHIN THE PROCEEDING 24 MONTHS.
THE ANSWER TO YOUR POINT OF ORDER, UH, THE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE HE IS NOT HAD AN EXEMPTION FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
IN THAT CASE, I MOVE THAT WE REVERSED THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND GRANT A ONE YEAR EXEMPTION EXEMPTION FROM THE REQUIREMENTS.
OKAY, SO I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAYES TO REVERSE THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE DENYING THE DANCEHALL LATE HOURS PERMIT FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
UH, MR. HAYES, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON YOUR MOTION JUST BRIEFLY? I THINK EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD IS VERY FAVORABLE, AND I CERTAINLY COMMEND, UH, MR. ELLIS FOR THE WAY HE IS RUNNING HIS BUSINESS.
AND AS ONE OF THE EARLIER QUESTIONS POINTED OUT, IT'S A LOT BETTER TO LET THE PEOPLE, UH, LEAVE, UH, ON A SEQUENTIAL BASIS RATHER THAN FORCING EVERYBODY ELSE, EVERYBODY OUT ALL AT ONCE.
SO THAT'S MY STATEMENT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE MOTION?
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RIGHT? IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION? RIGHT, MS. SHIN, YOU'RE THE SECOND.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ONLY TO ECHO MR. HAYES'S SENTIMENTS? UM, I THINK MR. ELLIS IS DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE LIKE TO SEE, UM, AND AS BEING A, A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER.
ANYBODY AGAINST THE MOTION? ON THE MOTION? UM, CHAIR, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT SOMETHING I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HEARD, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I I JUST WANTED TO 0.1 THING OUT IF THAT'S OKAY.
I JUST WANTED, I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING AND WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT I IF THE BOARD, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAUGHT IT.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HEARD WHERE THE, UH, A PLACE LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT ONLY ASSISTED IN TAKING KEYS AND KEEPING, YOU KNOW, DRUNK DRIVERS OR DRIVERS THAT PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE BEHIND THE WHEEL OFF THE ROAD AND, AND GOTTEN THEM A RIDE.
BUT I THINK IF, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY, THEY ALSO GIVE THEM A NOTE
SO, I MEAN, SO THANK YOU MR. ELLIS.
I'M NOT SURE WHO CAME UP WITH THAT WHEN YOU GUYS WERE PLANNING YOUR OPERATIONS AND HOW THAT WOULD BE HANDLED, BUT, UM, THAT'S GOOD STUFF.
WE'VE HAD OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS AND OWNERS THAT HAVE COME IN FRONT OF US AND THEY'VE DONE SOME NEAT THINGS, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A HELPFUL INTUITIVE THOUGHT THAT WHOEVER CAME UP WITH IT, Y'ALL KEEP DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.
UH, ANYBODY AGAINST OR ON THE MOTION? ANYBODY ELSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION VICE CHAIR? I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT, UM, THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE THIS YEAR TO EVEN DECREASE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE AMOUNT OF INCIDENTS HAPPENING ON SITE IS GREAT.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, MR. ELLIS, UM, FOR A YEAR FROM NOW, UM, PUT TO PLEASE PROVIDE AT LEAST PICTURES OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, I, I SEE WE, THE REALLY ONLY INSIGHT WE GOT WAS THE CITY, UM, CITY'S PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS GREAT.
AND I LOVE THE PICTURE AT THE VERY FRONT OF THE EVIDENCE, RIGHT? IT SHOWS RODEO WEST.
SO, UM, BUT WITHOUT IT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE REALLY KNOWN WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT AND TALKING ABOUT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE LIKE A 300 PAGE EVIDENCE PACKET.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, IF YOU WOULD JUST BRING SOMETHING SO THAT WE CAN ALSO SEE IT, UM, OR JUST ENCOURAGE THAT AND THEN JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH YOUR BUSINESS.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE OPPOSED TO THE MOTION? ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ACTUALLY, UH, JUST, UH, I WILL SPEAK ON THE MOTION.
AND JUST TO ECHO, UH, WHAT VICE CHAIR TORRES SAID, THERE IS AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE BOARD ON THE BOARD'S WEBSITE THAT TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCEDURE OF THE HEARINGS AND SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO PREPARE.
AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE ALL APPELLANTS, UM, TO, UH, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, UM, AND TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, LIKE MR. WILKINS MENTIONED.
AND IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION.
WE WILL PROCEED TO A VOTE ON MR. HAYES MOTION TO REVERSE THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND REGARDING THE DENIAL OF A DANCE HALL LATE HOURS PERMIT FOR RODEO WEST DALLAS AND GRANT RODEO WEST DALLAS.
AN EXEMPTION FROM THE LOCATIONAL RESTRICTION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UH, THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT PRESENT HERE TODAY, PLEASE MONITOR YOUR EMAILS FOR THE FINDINGS FOR YOUR SIGNATURE, AND TODAY'S HEARING IS CONCLUDED AT 9:32 AM THANK YOU ALL.