THOUSAND OAKS : City Moves to Restrict Rowdy Nightclubs

Seeking to control rowdy nightclubs, the Thousand Oaks City Council has cleared the way for regulation of “dancing establishments” and other nightclubs.

The council Tuesday directed staff to draft an ordinance that would require all nightclubs to obtain a special-use permit before opening. In order to receive the permit, managers would have to accept certain conditions, such as increased security, extra parking, or restricted hours.

Seven cities in Ventura County, including nearby Simi Valley and Moorpark, enforce similar regulations.

While Thousand Oaks’ proposed ordinance will apply only to future nightclubs, the City Council also vowed to crack down on existing establishments, especially the Red Onion on West Hillcrest Drive and the Yucatan Cantina, formerly Sergio’s Cantina, on Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

In the past two weeks, police have arrested 14 minors with alcohol and eight with marijuana in the parking lot of the Red Onion, Cmdr. William Wade said. The Sheriff’s Department has made an additional 14 arrests at the Cantina, authorities said.

The city has the right to revoke either restaurant’s permit to serve alcohol, assistant planner Scott Wolfe told the council. And the council warned it would do just that if the clubs did not shape up within a month.

“We will let them know that if they do not clean up their act with regard to security and noise very quickly--in fact, immediately--we will consider initiating (permit) revocation proceedings,” Mayor Judy Lazar said.

The manager of the Red Onion, John Raymer, has said he is willing to work with the city. But he has expressed reluctance to cancel his popular “Over 18” nights for teen-agers--even though police have said the weekly events draw an especially raucous crowd of minors.

The Yucatan Cantina has already canceled its “Over 18” night.