Gamers may get arcade

CITY HALL — Despite a recommendation of denial from planning executives, the Planning Board on Monday voted unanimously to trump a city recommendation and approve a permit for a 21st-century arcade, complete with 40 Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Wii video game consoles.

The board, pending authorization by the Burbank Police Department, approved the conditional-use permit for the three-room, 3,600-square- foot video game center, allowing 29-year-old applicant Daniel Moss to work creatively with police and city planners to satisfy city regulations that require all “amusement machines” to be readily visible from the entrance.

Because of the shape and layout of the second-story space, the 40 consoles are not all visible from the entrance, Assistant Planner Jesse Brown said. Board members Vahe Hovanessian and Emily Gabel-Luddy suggested the use of windows or security cameras to meet the requirement.

Two rooms of the proposed gaming center at 401 S. Glenoaks Blvd. would house a series of televisions using only built-in speakers, while a third room would feature four projectors and screens with small surround-sound speakers.

Moss maintained that he doesn’t intend to have a typical arcade where strangers congregate and people walk in with a change purse and use the equipment. He said he aims to create a social gaming atmosphere where friends and families rent rooms for parties and special events.

“I’ve been to one of those places with hard-core gamers and their tricked-out computers, and I’ll never go back,” he said. “Those guys are a different breed.”

Instead of energy-drink-fueled all-nighters in cafes that more closely resemble a den or basement, Moss said his business would be akin to a laser-tag facility, golf course or sign-in bowling alley, where each visitor is accounted for and swaps their identification card in exchange for gaming equipment. And students who sign up for leagues must maintain a 2.0 grade-point average.

The board also supported hours of operation for minors that do not overlap with the school schedule, as well as a ban on walk-in players.

“It’s just something that we feel compelled to do,” Moss said. “Also in the leagues we will always have someone in the room because the different rooms are going to be used for different games. We’ll always have someone in the room refereeing.”