City Nightclub Buzz Kill

San Francisco nightclubs that continue to allow violent behavior  could be subject to having their permits revoked by the city's Entertainment  Commission, under proposed legislation to be considered Monday.
     
The Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee on Monday morning  will hold a hearing to consider expanding the powers of the Entertainment  Commission.
     
The issue arose after a Feb. 7 gang shooting outside the Suede  nightclub near Fisherman's Wharf left one man dead and four others injured.
     
At the time, the Entertainment Commission said they had limited  authority to revoke Suede's operating permit. However, the club has since  agreed to a temporary shuttering, and the city attorney's office is pursuing  a permanent closure.
     
Violence has erupted at other San Francisco nightclubs recently as  well. On July 11, a man was fatally shot early in the morning outside  Jelly's, a restaurant and dance cafi at Pier 50. The club agreed the next day  to a seven-day temporary closure.
     
The Entertainment Commission currently can only revoke a club's  permit based on ownership making false statements on a permit application;  failing to pay permit fees; or failing to surrender the permit during a  change of ownership. For public safety issues, it can only suspend a permit  for up to 90 days.
     
Legislation proposed by Supervisor David Chiu would allow the  commission to revoke permits for clubs with a history of failing to curb  violent behavior, or where operation of the venue is an ongoing public safety  concern.
     
Monday's hearing begins at 10 a.m. in Room 250 at City Hall. The  hearing will also include a presentation by the Entertainment Commission and  Police Department on violent behavior at various venues.

Bay City News

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