Billiard center's entertainment plan nixed

Allen David Ornstein, a partner in the Electric Circus on Beach Blvd., asked Planning Commissioners on Monday to allow him to have live entertainment in his billiard center. Ornstein said that business is slow and that he needs live entertainment to keep his doors open. His partner has already mortgaged his house, he said. "For certain, if I don't have entertainment, my doors will shut," Ornstein said. He said he didn't understand why he was not allowed to have a permit for entertainment. "We're talking about a entertainment permit here. I'm not looking for a permit to build a nuclear bomb," Ornstein said. Commissioner Mitch Caldwell said that the spirit of what Ornstein was asking for differs from what the commission originally approved. "It's like comparing rock and roll to classical," Caldwell said. "I'm going to vote to deny and ask you to come back with a new conditional use permit." But Ornstein protested, saying he couldn't afford to wait. Commissioners voted 6-1 to deny Ornstein's request but suggested he obtain a special events permit, which would allow him to offer live entertainment . In other action, commissioners voted to allow two brothers to build a 3,700-square foot baseball school on a 2.35 acre lot on La Palm a Avenue. Mike and Steve Kiefer will construct a facility with four batting cages three for hitting and one for pitching. There will be one instructor with one student per half-hour session, Mike Kiefer said. The property is within a 3,700- square foot industrial building. No locker rooms, snack bar, arcades or viewing stands are proposed within the baseball s