All I can say is, wow. Unbelievable. :o
From the t-U website:By Beth Reese Cravey
In an effort to stem growing late-night DUI, weapons arrests and other crimes in the Wells Road corridor, the Clay County Commission approved an ordinance today requiring three large nightclubs on Wells Road to halt alcohol sales at 11 p.m. daily.
The ordinance applies to establishments operating under quota alcohol sales licenses on premises greater than 4,750 square feet within 500 feet on either side of Wells Road from the Orange Park town limits to just west of Blanding Boulevard in the unincorporated area of the county, according to County Attorney Mark Scruby.
The change takes affect in about 30 days.
Representatives and patrons of the impacted businesses â€" Club Christopher's, Club Chameleon Cafe and Crazy Horse Saloon â€" said the measures would mean numerous job cuts and the loss of what they consider safe havens of entertainment.
"I don't see anything but love at Club Christophers," said patron Dawn Anderson. "It is a classy place to be."
But the problems are not so much inside the clubs as outside, mostly between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. From 2007 to 2010, the vast majority of crimes reported in the corridor are in the late night and early morning hours, almost 80 percent in 2010, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
After 18 months of study, monitoring of crime statistics and meetings with concerned business owners and residents, commissioners decided action was needed to protect public safety and maintain the corridor as a popular restaurant and retail district and sales tax generator. The corridor includes Orange Park Mall near the western end and the Orange Park greyhound track at the east end.
"Typically I am for less government and am pro-business," said Commission Chairman Travis Cummings. "Sometimes government does have to step in."
Commissioner Doug Conkey agreed.
"When you put a platoon worth of [off-duty] deputies outside your establishment, that tells me you've got an issue," he said.
Also today, the commission tentatively approved and will take a final vote later this month on a companion zoning code change. That measure would prohibit new lounges operating under quota licenses on premises exceeding 4,750 square feet from locating within similar Wells Road-Blanding Boulevard boundaries and require existing lounges meeting that criteria to cease operations within five years.
The final vote -- and the second of two public hearings -- on that measure will be held May 24.
Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2011-05-10/story/clay-commission-takes-large-wells-road-nightclubs-crime-fighting-move#ixzz1M1fLW4d8
Idiotic... looks like Duval will see an influx of Clay clubbers... 8)
1: That isn't a good thing. Have you seen that crowd from Clay?
2: They'll sue, it's a taking without compensation and they'll probably get a declaratory judgment that they're grandfathered, or else Clay Co. will have to pay them the value of the lost business amortized to present value (a lot of money). This isn't going to work out swimmingly for them.
You do love your stereotypes... :D
Not to mention the fact that off-duty cops are paid for their services - it's practically over time for them. They'll basically be taking a pay cut as well.
And yes, apparently Chris loves his stereotypes. Which isn't to say that he's wrong, for the most part... But there are puh-lenty of of 'classy' people in Duval County as well.
I spoke to the folks at Orange Park Mall a few months ago regarding a study we're doing in Clay....they mentioned the seriousness of the problem they have late on weekend nights...and it is from the nearby clubs more so than the on-site movie theater.
It is either an attempt to "force" local business to comply with the local police for OR the Clay County people are really abusing their privilege to drink and migrate around the area under the influence of booze. The consequence of abusing that drinking privilege has raised a safety concern for the local citizens.
(Thanks to Dogwalker: I had to rewrite my sentence since it didn't sound correct.)
-Josh
Josh,
???
You need to re-write that sentence.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on May 11, 2011, 08:56:21 AM
You do love your stereotypes... :D
Well, come on, someone had to say what we're all already thinking...LOL!
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on May 11, 2011, 10:15:10 AM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on May 11, 2011, 08:56:21 AM
You do love your stereotypes... :D
Well, come on, someone had to say what we're all already thinking...LOL!
I suppose it is the same look we might get in Atlanta when we tell them we are from Jax...
QuoteBut the problems are not so much inside the clubs as outside, mostly between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. From 2007 to 2010, the vast majority of crimes reported in the corridor are in the late night and early morning hours, almost 80 percent in 2010, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
So there is a crime problem between the hours of 10pm and 3 am along the corridor. Do they have any statistics showing that these crimes directly involve patrons that had been at these clubs- or is it all just assumed? It doesn't mention it in the article even though it says that they have been doing a study for 18 months. It seems like that would be an important bit of info. I would imagine that many crimes throughout the nation happen during these hours.
Good one Stephen!
So I guess the SRX licensed restaurants can still serve 'till 2:00 am (or is it already 1:00 am in Clay? I should know that).
And even the smaller clubs will be forced out of there in five years!?!? Did the county attorney really think this will fly? Guess so, we just did a similar thing in Duval to ban the nude clubs.
If anyone wonders if we are still a podunk town when it comes to entertainment and nightlife I am here to say: "Well Virginia, yes we are".
Very True Stephen. Five Points boomed after Clay did their idiotcy in 1991, plus having the Edge close soon after forced that crowd to Club Five.
There is a lot of section 8 housing off of wells rd. Many of the apartment complexes have subsidized housing. Those of us born on the westside can tell you what happened to Plymouth St.
What will happen if they do enforce this, Clubs will relocate to north of I295 or south to Kingsley or so.
But, living in Clay, I can tell you, we have some idiots in place in government. Doug Conkey being a top notched one.
Quote from: stephendare on May 11, 2011, 11:42:52 AM
If the downtown nightclubs have a lick of marketing sense (which they mostly don't) they will be immediately out at the orange park clubs flyering the cars. I would guess that its going to be a race between downtown and the King Street District to see who gets those crucial customers first.
Stephen I was saying the same thing! This is a huge opportunity. But as you said, if they dont have marketing sense, then all is lost.
QuoteWells Road nightclubs file federal complaint against Clay's new anti-crime ordinance
The owners of two of three Wells Road nightclubs targeted by a Clay County Commission-approved anti-crime measure are seeking federal injunctions to stop enforcement.
In a joint complaint filed by attorney Michael Yojan late Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, the owners of Crazy Horse Saloon and Club Christopher's said the ordinance limiting their alcohol sales hours is unconstitutional because it treats them "in a disparate fashion from other businesses operating in the county which are engaged in the same trade." Also, the complaint said "there is no rational basis for the ordinance."
Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2011-05-25/story/wells-road-nightclubs-file-federal-complaint-against-clays-new-anti#ixzz1NSeIXIh5
Hopefully the clubs can win.
Good job, Clay County. Way to want to keep a young and talented work force in your county.
So, once the bars on Wells Road close for good...people in Clay County will flock to other bars on other roads...and how long before the county makes time changes for those bars to start their demise?
This is clearly just good news for the bars in Duval County...
Quote from: Riverrat on May 26, 2011, 09:32:50 AM
Good job, Clay County. Way to want to keep a young and talented work force in your county.
So, once the bars on Wells Road close for good...people in Clay County will flock to other bars on other roads...and how long before the county makes time changes for those bars to start their demise?
This is clearly just good news for the bars in Duval County...
Same thing I said. The whole thing is stupid. They will just move from one location in Clay County to another. I guess Clay wants to eventually be Club-Less