PORTLAND — The city council amended its city code on Monday to remove a 100-foot buffer between businesses with entertainment licenses.

In 2007, Portland implemented an ordinance that regulated the location and density of businesses with both liquor licenses and entertainment licenses in the downtown and waterfront zones. Entertainment licenses are given to businesses that host live music and other events. The goal of the original buffer was to “disperse the negative impacts of late-night rowdiness on downtown streets.”

According to a city council report on the background of the initial buffer, the housing and economic development committee began to consider removing the buffer in June in response to complaints from business owners. Some business owners argued that the 100-foot buffer restricted their abilities to host a variety of programming, including live music, educational events and community discussions.

One of these business owners is Isaac MacDougal, owner of recently-relocated downtown bar Cocktail Mary. MacDougal told the council on Monday that eliminating the buffer would help his business. 

“Passing this is very important for my business as soon as possible, and you all know that,” MacDougal said. “I just wanted to thank you for all the work you’ve put into this and the time you’ve taken reading all my emails and public comment.”

The Portland council unanimously passed the amendment to its code as an emergency measure, eliminating the second reading of an ordinance that council decisions typically require. Councilors Kate Sykes and Wesley Pelletier praised the council’s ability to quickly cut through red tape to reach its goal in eliminating the buffer.

“I think it’s important to be able to show some hustle in this and other areas,” Pelletier said. “I don’t think it’s the most pressing issue that we face, but it is good to see that we can — pending this vote — show a little get-up-and-go.”

This buffer is unrelated to the 750-foot buffer between large music venues that the council enacted in April to allegedly prevent the development of a Live Nation venue across from Merrill Auditorium.