Photo: Jitalia17 / E+ / Getty Images
(Des Moines, IA) -- Plans for a Speakeasy as part of renovations to a building near 6th and Euclid in Des Moines are still alive. The city's Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a conditional use permit for the basement of the building as a cocktail lounge, despite it being across the street from a church. Opponents argue the letter of the law is important.
Mel Pins is on the board.
"I like this proposal. I like what they want to do. I like where they want to put it. I like speakeasies," Pins says. "But, I have to look at our criteria which is the variance test. And I don't like to be the mean guy, but it does not meet the variance test."
But representatives for the potential owners say it's further than the 150 foot requirement. Alec Davis spoke for them at Wednesday's meeting.
"If you draw a line as the crow flies directly to the property, you get that," Davis says. "The actual location of the licensed premise of the bar would include, if you're a human, an additional travel distance inside the building and down the steps that would be greater than 150 feet."
And, while the city ordinance pertains to the building's distance and not the room, supporters on the board argue taking the chance is worth it in this case. Dave Gaer is one of them.
"As a city, as a board we need to be willing to take chances with some of this stuff," Gaer says. "And if it doesn't work, okay. I took a chance and it didn't work. Shame on me. I'm not afraid to take a chance."
The variance exception passed by a 4-2 vote, while the approval of the permits passed unanimously.