BANGOR – After quickly approving a series of special amusement permits for clubs and pubs throughout the city without objection or public comment, the nature of discussion changed when city councilors got to the application for Raena’s Pub and Pizza.

Since last spring, the Larkin Street establishment, which currently offers live bands five nights a week, has been the subject of complaints about noise, fighting and profanity, reportedly stemming from patrons who go outside to the parking lot to smoke.

But after a lengthy public hearing, the councilors voted 8-1 to grant owner Raena Everett the city permit she needs in order to continue offering music and dancing.

“It’s disappointing. You try and try and try,” said Lorraine King, who with her husband, Jerry King, has attended several meetings with city officials and Everett in an effort to restore some of the peace and quiet the couple enjoyed before Everett turned her pizza business into a bar featuring live bands five nights a week.

“I’m very disappointed with the City Council,” Lorraine King said, noting that the exception was Councilor Geoffrey Gratwick, who spent time in the Kings’ west side neighborhood over the summer. Gratwick also was the only councilor who voted against granting Everett the permit.

Asked by Councilor Richard Stone what the city’s obligations were concerning Everett’s application, City Solicitor Norman Heitmann said city and state regulations required that the permits be granted, unless there is evidence that doing so would be “detrimental to public health, public safety and public welfare.”

Most of the councilors did not think the situation at Raena’s rose to that level, and most voted to grant the permit.

Councilor Frank Farrington, who moved to approve the permit, said Everett seemed to be making progress toward resolving her issues with the Kings.

Gratwick disagreed and called for a roll call vote.

“Sleep, I think, is extraordinarily important to all of us,” he said with regard to public health. On safety, he said his research in the neighborhood turned up three other affected households afraid to speak publicly. On welfare, he noted the Kings had owned their home, within 100 feet of the pub, for several years before the former pizza parlor became a pub.

Though Everett has extended a fence, raised amplifiers off the floor and started to move her smoking area to the side of the pub away from the Kings’ home, other recommendations, including a vestibule, were “nonbinding,” city officials said earlier.