Beach-club complex votes on permits, licenses are delayed

The Scottsdale City Council has delayed consideration of the conditional-use permits and liquor licenses required for the bars at developer Shawn Yari's downtown beach-club complex.

The vote Tuesday to postpone the requests were among 35 items on the council's consent agenda, which were approved with a single, unanimous vote.

The beach-club requests were postponed until the council's Sept. 11 meeting.

The complex, Scottsdale Retail Plaza, is now under construction on most of the block that housed Myst nightclub on Shoeman Lane and Suede restaurant and bar on Indian Plaza.

The Planning Commission gave favorable recommendations to the conditional-use permits on July 11.

Randy Grant of G&G Consulting requested the continuances on behalf of the establishments. He did not state a reason in his letter to Planning Department staff. Planning director Tim Curtis confirmed that no reason was given.

City Clerk Carolyn Jagger said the council's rules specify automatic approval of the first continuance request.

Bill Crawford, president of the Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale's Quality of Life, told the council that the delay until after Tuesday's primary election suggests there may be political reasons involved. Crawford is running for council and the association has been which has been critical of problems associated with the city's entertainment district.

Two current members of the council, Mayor Jim Lane and Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp, are seeking re-election.

by Edward Gately - Aug. 23, 2012 The Republic | azcentral.com




Beach-club complex votes on permits, licenses are delayed