Liquor a Zoning Problem

Interior block development has posed a zoning problem for Salt Lake City commissioners.

Developers of a proposed Tiffany's Dinner Theater in Arrow Press Square met this week with commissioners to discuss problems in obtaining a private club liquor license for the business.

Howard Clark, one of the owners of Arrow Press Square said that renovation of the old Pahl Building, 115 S West Temple, already is well under way.

Developers only recently discovered that there are already two businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages on West Temple Street.

City ordinances allow for only two such establishments on each linear block in a C3 zone: The Winery and the Dead Goat now have licenses to sell beer, Clark said.

The question posed to commissioners was whether businesses which have entrances through the interior of the block are considered to have addresses fronting on the street. Tiffany's would have an interior block entrance.

City Attorney Roger Cutler said the philosophy behind the restrictive ordinance was to prevent clustering of bars or clubs and to discourage "bar hopping."

Mayor Ted L. Wilson commented that with more downtown development, it was likely the issue would come up again and that new regulations would have to be devised to cover the situation.
The developers also said necessary licenses had been approved by the city throughout the construction project, without anyone ever informing them of the liquor license problems.