UPDATE: Urbandale Council Gives First OK to Live Music at Neighborhood Restaurants

UPDATE: The City Council unanimously approved the first of three readings of an ordinance change to allow live music in restaurants that are in neighborhood commercial  zones, said City Clerk Deb Mains. The measure needs two more votes for passage. 

The recently reopened wants to offer live music, a request that prompted Urbandale city officials to propose a special permit to allow that for restaurants in neighborhood commercial zones.

Irina's on Hickman Road at Rocklyn Drive reopened last week after being closed for five months following the collapse of its roof in June. 

Co-owner Irina Khartchenko said she would like to offer live music occasionally.

"We're not really the live-music-type place, but we want to have some live music," said Khartchenko.

Any group she would book would have to be small because her restaurant doesn't have a stage or a lot of space. This also would allow groups to bring in musicians when they rent a private dining space for a special occasion such as a wedding reception or party.

"We just have so many requests for that," said Khartchenko, who will be at tonight's 7 p.m. meeting. The council is to consider a recommendation from Urbandale Planning Director Paul Dekker. The city's plan and zoning commission already has unanimously endorsed the change.

Here are the details, based on information presented to that commission:

• Changing the city's zoning laws for restaurants that are in neighborhood commercial zones to allow them to apply for a permit to offer live music would potentially apply to 14 existing restaurants.

• Those restaurants include: , , , , , and . The others are fast-food restaurants that likely would not be interested.

• If the council changed the zoning laws for neighborhood commercial, it would allow neighborhood restaurants only, not neighborhood bars, to apply for a conditional use permit for up to five years to offer live entertainment. Each establishment's application would need to be approved by the city's Board of Adjustment. The permit could not be transferred if the restaurant's ownership changed.

• Businesses are considered by the city to be primarily restaurants, rather than bars, if at least 60 percent of their revenue comes from food and non-alcoholic beverages.

• The music can only be played inside the building, not outside, and the businesses permit can be suspended temporarily by the city if violations have been reported. In addition to noise, the city would consider parking problems, nuisance disturbances, violation of the maximum capacity of 125 patrons at a time, illicit drug use, vandalism, unlawful assembly or other criminal activity.

The city is expected to hold a public hearing on the proposal at around 7:40 p.m., according to its agenda.