Nightlife legislation approved last week by the Seattle City Council contains no mention of a regulatory license but does include beefing up current city tools for maintaining peace between residents and noisy clubs.

The legislation, which was sparked a few years ago by several high profile violent incidents and reignited over a recent shooting at a club downtown, but the council has not acted on the mayor's request for authority to close clubs he thinks are creating public problems.

The new law applies to bars and clubs serving alcohol after 10 p.m. and with an occupancy level of 200 or more. The package would, among other things, expand the public-nuisance code to allow the city to fine clubs that repeatedly violate fire-safety codes, set specific noise limits and increase fines.

It creates a city staff position to work with problem nightclubs and make recommendations about liquor license renewals to a nightlife advisory board, comprised of club owners and residents.

Earlier proposals from Mayor Greg Nickels required that certain venues obtain special licenses and comply with operating standards to control noise, litter and crime. Representatives of the nightlife industry objected, saying the legislation puts too much financial and policing pressure on owners and employees.

But at a recent city council hearing, most spoke in favor of a license requirement. One man asked the council to hurry the proposal through to law.

"Peace and quiet in an urban setting is all I'm asking the council to stand up for," he told council members.

For years, residents across Seattle have implored city officials to do something about incessant noise emanating into their homes and violence stemming from nearby clubs. Many say the trouble will only get worse as densification increases in neighborhoods.

Several people said increasing police presence on the streets was one major way the city could ease the problem.

"Laws are meaningless unless enforced," said one woman.

Council member Sally Clark, chairwoman of the committee that's reviewing the legislation, reminded the crowd that the city has approved funding for 105 additional police officers to be phased in during the next five years.

Bob Scales, senior policy advisor for the city's Office of Policy and Management, introduced a new city database called LiquorStat. The technology will track complaints, criminal activity and violations from the state and city on every business that holds a liquor license in Seattle.

Based on the number of violations, Scales said the database would help identify problematic areas and be used to "tailor a city response." It's also meant to streamline the city's current "cumbersome" process for reviewing the renewal of nearly 2,500 liquor licenses.

But Denise Movius, the head of the city's Department of Executive Administration, said each establishment flagged would be evaluated in further detail. She also warned that the tool was "close to primetime," but still in development.

The city hopes to have it fully operational by next year, Scales said.

Council member Richard McIver was concerned that club owners might be deterred from calling 911 if it resulted in a mark against them in the new database.

"(LiquorStat) not going to be used in isolation to make decisions," Movius assured.

Mayor Nickels recently issued a list of problem nightclubs using information he garnered from the database, which included police reports in which the clubs had called 911 themselves.

A new state law, which establishes that the state Liquor Control Board must give more credence to a city that objects to a liquor-license renewal, gives the city another tool to control problem businesses.

Council member Tom Rasmussen said the new legislation should include hefty fines for clubs that violate noise standards.

"It's just a matter of essentially turning down the volume," Rasmussen said. "I think what the neighbors want is immediate relief."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com