The Blue Velvet Lounge’s capacity was increased from 99 to 120 after the owner brought the issue to the Alcohol License Review Committee last Wednesday.
Larry Schmock, owner of the Blue Velvet Lounge, initially requested the capacity be raised to 160, the maximum number of people the square footage of the building would allow, according to Madison’s Building Inspection Division Director George Hank.
ALRC denied the increase to 160 because the request was in violation of the alcohol density plan.
According to Schmock at the meeting, the Blue Velvet’s capacity was set at 120 until a recent review by the fire department lowered it to 99.
Members of the ALRC asked Alcohol Policy Coordinator Katherine Plominski to find out why the capacity was lowered and if it could be increased back to 120.
According to Hank, the Blue Velvet’s capacity has always been 99, but the recent inspection indicated capacity could be raised to 120.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said ALRC members were baffled by the decrease, and although the source of confusion is not clear, he is happy capacity could be raised to 120.
“I’m just relieved that the apparent error was fairly quickly corrected,” Verveer said.
According to Hank, building inspectors consider three main factors when setting a bar’s capacity. First, inspectors consider the building’s square footage, and when looking at square feet alone, the Blue Velvet is large enough to hold 160 people.
Hank said building inspectors consider how many people could potentially be accommodated by a bar’s quantity and size of restrooms, which at the Blue Velvet can only accommodate 120 people.
Inspectors also judge exit width and look to see how many people could safely fit through the exits at one time in case of emergency.
These criteria make up the maximum number of people allowed in an establishment. According to Hank, ALRC would have the right to impose a lower capacity based on density.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Verveer said this issue was good education for the ALRC for a possible future discussion of the density plan.
Verveer said while he would like local business owners to be able to expand their bars, his main issue with the density plan is it prevents new types of businesses from opening in downtown Madison, as it restricts businesses classified as taverns from opening in the downtown area.
Verveer said there have been many proposals for more entertainment-based establishments that have had to be rejected based on the plan.
“We might be losing some unique types of businesses downtown due to the ordinance,” Verveer said.
Verveer cited several prospective businesses, including live music venues, movie theaters and a dueling piano bar, as examples of concepts that have not been allowed to proceed under the current law.
