Goldsboro City Council to think about new club request
By Laura Collins
Published in News on August 4, 2010 1:46 PM
Goldsboro City Council decided at Monday night's work session to think a little bit more about a proposal for a new nightclub in the city.
Randy Guthrie, development services director for the city, reported to the council that an application has been filed for a conditional land use permit. The permit is for a proposed night club near the corner of Slocumb and Elm streets. The application lists Ernest Lofton as the property owner and Ray-Trell Caldwell as the applicant contact.
The property is currently zoned general business, but anywhere that is a place of entertainment also needs a conditional use permit, which also includes a public hearing process.
Guthrie said the public hearing was held on July 19, which no one attended. A week later on July 26, the planning commission reviewed the request and recommended approval to city council.
Guthrie said part of the reason the planning commission approved the application is because a night club was previously approved at that location.
"This is not an entirely new situation. This was originally a night club approved in 1981, and it was open for a few years and eventually shut down," Guthrie said. "Generally, the planning commission felt it met the criteria again, so they recommended approval."
But commissioners were hesitant about a night club opening at Slocum and Elm streets, and removed the night club from the consent agenda voted on at the regular board meeting.
"This intersection has enough problems as it is," said Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Allen. "I don't know why we'd want to add to the problem, and in my opinion this would."
Police Chief Tim Bell didn't go into detail at the meeting, but said he's "not tickled to death" about a night club at that location.
"I just don't think you're doing that neighborhood a favor by putting anything like that there," Allen said.
When considering an application, council takes into consideration criteria including whether use of the night club will endanger public health or welfare and whether it will substantially injure beneficial use of abutting or adjoining property due to noise, traffic, lights, hours of operation, etc.
Council expects to vote on the night club at its next meeting.