The Syracuse Common Council on Monday unanimously approved an update to a city rule that had been giving headaches to local music venue owners since it was resurrected last summer.
The existing ordinance, which was written in the 1960s, required some city businesses to obtain a new license to host certain types of entertainment, meaning some venues were having to obtain several licenses per week. Syracuse business owners said the rule was outdated and cumbersome.
In response to the outcry, as well as a 2024 city audit, the Syracuse Division of Code Enforcement drafted a new ordinance which allows venues that hold less than 350 people to apply for just one license per year…