Las Vegas City Commission Minutes, November 20, 1957 to December 2, 1959, lvc000011-529

JOE JULIAN LIQUOR STORE His Honor Mayor Gragson stated the Commission would take up the matter of liquor Package Liquor and license application of Joe Julian and he asked Mr. Julian to state name and address Beer Bar License for which this application was requested. Mr. Julian answered stating that it was for the Joe Julian Liquor Store, Las Vegas Boulevard South. Approved Madison Graves spoke on behalf of Mr. Julian and stated that since the last meeting of the Commission, Mr. Julian had obtained 1,235 names of petitioners in favor of allowing this license. Mayor Gragson asked if any member of the Board would like any evidence as to who will be the owner and operator, and who will receive any revenue from the business, including slot machines. Commissioner Sharp stated that he was satisfied. Commissioner Fountain moved that due to the confusion of the definition of "Shopping Center" set up by the City, this license be approved. Commissioner Sharp said that he would like to state one thing. In the past, eight or ten such license applications in this area have been turned down; however, if ever there was a shopping center this was one, and it was as much a shopping center as any we have whether outlying or in town. On the basis that this Board had been a little evasive in establishing population that limited this type of license. He believed that this applicant had a clear cut legal right, and the Commission the right to grant this type of license in a shopping center. Such licenses were granted at Twin Lakes and one at Market Town, and certainly we can stand on the basis this is a shopping center and have a valid reason to tell people why similar applications have been turned down in this area before. Commissioner Sharp stated there would be four others in the near future. Immediately adjacent to this location will be the Tam Shopping Center, besides the Thrifty Mart on Charleston Boulevard and Loveland on Bonanza and 25th Street, and another coming in on annexation of James Cashman prop­erty which was recently approved. Commissioner Sharp seconded the motion as he believed in all sincerity it was a shopping center. Motion was carried by the following vote: Commissioners Fountain, Sharp and His Honor Mayor Gragson voting aye; Commissioner Elwell voting no; Commissioner Whipple stated that in view of new evidence and different bearing in this case, he was still undecided; farther, that he was very conscious of the people who had been rejected in the past and the concentration of this type of business in this area; therefore, he passed his vote. PACKAGE LIQUOR LICENSE City Manager Kennedy presented the application of Elijah Pullens and Theodore APPLICATION Lawson for a package liquor license at the Westside Grocery, 322 Madison. Mr. Westside Grocery Store Kennedy advised this application had previously been denied by the Board of City Commissioners on August 6, 1958, by reason that a resolution adopted June 20, 1956, Denied granting a variance to Mr. Pullens for the Westside Grocery specified that no liquor was to be sold on the premises. Mr. Kennedy stated the applicants had refused to accept the refund for the license fee which was paid at the time they made application over a year ago. Commissioner Sharp moved the application of Elijah Pullens and Theodore Lawson for a package liquor license at the Westside Grocery, 322 Madison, be denied as before and the License Department be instructed to refund the license fee to the applicants. Motion seconded by Commissioner Whipple and carried by the following vote: Commissioners Elwell, Fountain, Sharp, Whipple and His Honor Mayor Gragson voting aye; noes, none. DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT City Manager Kennedy referred the Commissioners to the memorandum from the City DISTRICT Manager's Office concerning the proposed program for the downtown improvements within a district confined to the area that would be known as "The Downtown Area Discussion of the City of Las Vegas" and the matters which should be included in this plan. He requested the Commissioners to study this tentative improvement plan and add or delete any items which they deemed advisable. Mr. Kennedy did not think authorization to proceed on such a plan should come from anybody other than the City Commissioners. Mr. Kennedy outlined the plan including the first step, which would be adopting plans for an assessment district within this area. With regard to the parking, two areas should be obtained for this purpose, one in the casino area just north of Fremont Street and one in the merchant's area south of Fremont, as he doubted one large parking facility could be worked out. If, and when, such lots were purchased, a structure should be placed on one-half of each one that would provide facilities on three stories for 558 cars; the other half to be used for parking lot purposes for short-time parking until such time as it would be completed in the same manner. This could be worked out on a Revenue Bond basis which would mean the merchants in the downtown district would have to have their business licenses increased to offset their payment, and the gaming casinos would also have to have their licenses increased. This would have to be done by ordinance to have it completely legal and collectible. Then the City could either operate these parking areas or put them out to lease as long as there was sufficient money to repay the bonds. Mayor Gragson asked if this would be two separate improvement districts - one for the streets and one for the parking facilities. Mr. Kennedy stated that was correct and one would be by assessment bonds, the other by revenue bonds. Commissioner Whipple stated the revenue bonds would be backed by liquor and gaming licenses and by business licenses. Mr. Kennedy stated that in his opinion a district would have to be formed for parking purposes from Main to 10th Streets and so much would have to be added to each license on percentage. Commissioner Whipple was of the opinion that the businessmen on 8th, 9th, and 10th Streets would object, and Mr. Kennedy replied this could be confined to wherever the Commission saw fit. Commissioner Fountain stated that at a meeting held with the Director of Public Works and a couple of the other department heads, the owners of the gambling interests in 7-23-59