By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The Salisbury Planning Board gave its OK Tuesday to a special-use permit for a proposed nightclub at 1923 S. Main St.
The board’s recommendation now goes to Salisbury City Council.
Lee Chann McManus is hoping to open his Staggers nightclub in a building behind Career Connections and next to N-Tune Car Stereo Inc.
Planners first discussed the special-use permit in December, but the board asked McManus to supply more information on available parking, lighting, a sprinkler system and security measures.
The board also recommended that he contact adjacent businesses to discuss any concerns they night have about a nightclub’s operation.
In December, McManus said the nightclub would operate from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday and from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday.
He said the building had a capacity for 501 people but that he anticipated a maximum crowd of 385.
The establishment would have in-house bouncers and off-duty police officers as security, McManus said. He added he was gearing the club to young adults and planned to include a “college night.”
McManus said he has learned from the Fire Department since the December meeting that the establishment will require a sprinkler system. He has been in contact with a Charlotte company for a cost estimate, he said.
Since December, McManus also met on the site with Salisbury Police Lt. Melonie Thompson, who wrote down some of her recommendations and observations.
Based on Thompson’s report, McManus said, he plans to have two off-duty officers, 10 in-house security personnel, four to five bartenders, three parking lot attendants and two security cameras outside.
She assessed that the lighting was adequate, though a non-working street light on South Main Street should be repaired, he said.
Thompson also recommended the club use one driveway as an entrance with traffic circulating one-way around the club and exiting onto South Main Street from another driveway.
McManus said some additional parking would be available at night at N-Tune (30 spaces) and Air Masters Technologies (20 spaces).
Zoning Administrator David Phillips said the club site itself has 112 parking spaces available.
McManus said his club’s final footprint would cover about 3,800 square feet. He anticipates bringing in live bands as entertainment.
Planning Board members decided that McManus met four standards they had to consider in passing on the special-use permit:
– No school is within 500 feet.
– The proposal meets specifications (such as zoning) of the Land Development Ordinance.
– The club will be visually and functionally compatible with its surroundings.
– The public health, safety and welfare will be assured and won’t injure the value of adjoining properties.
Board members noted concerns about a sprinkler system will have to be answered by the Fire Department and the Rowan County Building Inspections office.
Besides the special-use permit, the business cannot open without zoning and building permits, which will require the installation of a proper sprinkler system among other things.
In another matter Tuesday, the Planning Board voted favorably to accept the private streets in the Hidden Creek subdivision into the city system as public streets.
When the Hidden Creek subdivision was developed in 1990s, it was permitted to have private streets with an existing width of 24 feet.
By making them public streets, the city would establish an additional 10-foot public easement on each side of the road, creating an overall 44-foot-wide public easement.
“We were part of the city, but our streets weren’t,” explained David L. Martin, president of the Hidden Creek Property Owners Association. The association represents 143 owners.
If Salisbury City Council approves accepting the streets, the Hidden Creek association will then have to enter a new subdivision plat showing the streets as being public.