No more nightclubs at Marque location No more nightclubs at Marque location (January 24, 2003)

Council accepts offer to terminate use permit
by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

The City Council was poised Tuesday night to address revoking a use permit that allows nightclubs at the Crossroads Shopping Center, but its consideration was pre-empted when Ronnoco Properties voluntarily agreed to terminate the permit.

"This item has a long history and hopefully will have a short conclusion," said Planning Director Brian Swift, recommending that the council take action to terminate the use permit for a bar with entertainment and dancing. "Permitted uses could go into the existing space but if a bar applied to use the site it would have to come back for a use permit."

The conditional use permit for a dance club and bar was issued in 1995 for the Hopyard Road location, and the site subsequently operated as the Cadillac Ranch, the Beach, Riches and the Marque. Since the fall of 2001, neighbors have complained about the noise and behavior of Marque patrons late at night, and police have reported that the nightclub was a drain on its resources, including answering noise complaints, alleged drug use in the parking lot and a reported rape.

The Planning Commission decided in July to suspend the Marque's conditional use permit and owner Carlos Ratinho appealed that decision to the City Council. In September, the council reviewed the permit and told the owners to enforce a maximum occupancy limit of 200 people and to change the entrance to the rear of the building. The Marque tried these changes, then vacated the space Nov. 30.

The City Council voted unanimously to accept Ronnoco's voluntary termination of the use permit. It is still possible for a different type of bar, such as a restaurant serving drinks, to operate at the location, said staff, but another dance club should not be allowed.