Prior Lake City Council members will consider allowing limited outdoor entertainment at restaurants.

Council members will discuss the request at their Monday, July 7 meeting. The request initially came from Karen and Rich Sweet, owners of Captain Jack’s, who asked the council to consider allowing them to have a one- or two-person band play on the bar’s downstairs deck during the afternoon and early evening hours.

The council postponed a planned June 16 discussion of the issue after urging Captain Jack’s owners and residents who live near the restaurant to work out their problems. Residents have complained about noise, traffic and litter stemming from the restaurant. About 14 neighbors attended a June 28 meeting at the restaurant to discuss solutions.

Under current ordinance, restaurants like Captain Jack’s can have up to four events on-site, with two sponsored by the site owner and two sponsored by someone else. City Manager Frank Boyles said the provision comes from the fact that concerts used to be held as fund-raisers, thus allowing fund-raisers to take place without affecting the property owner’s ability to have two regular outdoor concerts.

If the council approves the amendment, restaurants with or without liquor licenses could have one vocalist and two instruments with up to two microphones and a small amplification system. Hours would be limited to 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, from now until Sept. 15.

The ordinance change would run through Dec. 31, 2008 unless the council decides to remove a sunset provision after receiving a report from city staff on the number of permits issued and any problems encountered.

Restaurant owners would have to apply for a seasonal outdoor entertainment permit and provide a plan for parking, noise, cleanup and dealing with complaints. A $500 cleanup deposit would be required.

The Tim Mahoney concert scheduled for July 4 in the parking lot of Captain Jack’s counted toward the two owner-sponsored concerts allowed within the current city ordinance, Boyles said.

– Lori Carlson