By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
A proposed nightclub on South Main Street cleared a hurdle Tuesday when Salisbury City Council approved a special-use permit.
Leechann McManus wants to open the Staggers nightclub/bar at 1923 S. Main St.
Council voted unanimously for the permit but added two conditions.
McManus must have two security officers on the premises every night, and the outside of the club must be cleared of any debris by 9 a.m. the next day.
The Waxhaw-based owner of the building occupied by Baker Industries at 1915 S. Main St. said he and his tenant were strongly opposed to the club.
“I just don’t see how it fits in that area,” he told the council Tuesday.
He added that the recommendation for two security officers already suggested the city anticipated problems with the location.
Mayor Pro Tem Paul Woodson, owner of Vogue Cleaners, said he has experience dealing with a bar behind his own business, and “the first year wasn’t easy.”
He fielded complaints from residential neighbors about late-night noise, patrons of the bar used his parking lot, and the next morning he often had a lot of trash on his property.
On occasion, he had to have cars towed away, Woodson said. Over time, the problems have been worked out, he said.
“They’ve become pretty good neighbors,” Woodson said.
McManus said having two officers on site can prevent things from happening and create a safe environment.
“Our first priority is safety,” he said.
He said the nightclub also will respect adjoining properties and not allow parking there.
The proposed club also will have to secure building, zoning and dance hall permits and be required to have a fire sprinkler system inside. It has parking for 112 vehicles.
By standards laid out in the Land Development Ordinance, the council had to agree the special use met four criteria:
– It could not be within 500 feet of a school. (It is not.)
– The use had to meet specifications of the Land Development Ordinance.
– The proposed plan would be visually and functionally compatible to the surrounding area.
– The public health, safety and welfare “will be assured and the proposed development will not substantially injure the value of adjoining property.”
Councilman Bill Burgin said whether the nightclub would be “functionally compatible” to the surrounding area might be open to discussion, but its use is permitted in the Highway Business zone.
The two security officers probably address the effort to assure public health and safety, he said.
Burgin wasn’t sure about how property values would be affected.
Woodson said he didn’t think the bar close to him hurt his property value.
It was Burgin’s recommendation to include the permit condition that the outside of the building be cleaned of any debris by the next morning.
Mayor Susan Kluttz noted the city had the right to rescind the permit if the nightclub proved to be a problem. The Planning Board previously had recommended approval of the special-use permit.