City to Reverse Lift Lounge Restriction?

City staff, including police, are recommending a reversal of city policy from a season ago and restoration of 12:30 a.m. as the time of last call for alcohol at a Locust Street club.

The planning commission has a busy agenda of items — ranging from alcohol sales to the sale of a prime city parcel — for its meeting Thursday. The Walnut Creek Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 1666 N. Main St.

The Lift Lounge at 1321 Locust St. has taken its first opportunity to file a request for relief of

A city staff report has police and planning staff recommending the extension of alcohol service to 12:30 a.m. The report's analysis relates signs of improvement:

"The number and frequency of calls for police services attributed to Lift Lounge and Grill has dropped significantly since the City Council took action to modify the operating standards. An incident was documented by the WCPD on February 24, 2012, when a small amount of packaged cocaine was discovered in front of the building. However, no evidence of any connection to Lift Lounge & Grill could be established except for the proximate location of the discovery. On a positive note, on April 13, 2012 the WCPD arrested a subject after the person was refused entrance to Lift because he was already intoxicated. Staff and the WCPD are encouraged by the increased awareness by Lift Lounge & Grill staff concerning already intoxicated persons attempting to enter the establishment."