Seahorse II, letter to the patrons of the Seahorse, ca. 1986

Description:	Letter regarding parking and license renewal challenges at the Seahorse II Cabaret. An automatic renewal of the bars liquor license was held up until a variance could be granted for bar parking requirements. This variance was denied in December of 1985 by the South Bend Board of Zoning Appeals due to neighbors alleging that the bar generated crime. TO CONERN PATRONS OF THE SEAHORSEIn January of 1983, the South Bend City Code Enforcement, Katherine Barnard, director, demanded the Seahorse II Cabaret to provide 15 additional parking spaces for patrons of the tavern, due to a back of addition that was added in 1979, which was not covered under the Grandfather Law.Originally, the addition was planned for storage. It was then redesigned for a small protion to be used fpr tavernarea. The plans were approved by the City of South Bend andthe State of Indiana for mixed-use. Only 4 additional park-ing spaces were then required.The Seahorse purchased a vacant lot three properties eastof the tavern to provide the parking that the City Code En-forcement had requested. The lot, zoned D Light Industrial,met all requirements for a parking lot and was approved byState and City Highway Departments as well as City Code En-forcement. On November 13, 1985, the Seahorse’s unblemished liquor license was granted an automatic renewal and was approved bythe St. Joseph County Alcoholic Beverage Board.Deputy City Attorney, Eugenia Schwarts, who attended theliquor license hearing, requested the Alcoholic BeverageBoard postpone the renewal until the Seahorse filed a variancebefore the Board of Zoning for a piece of property that the tavern had purchased for customer parking, which was, not at the time,required for the approval of the liquor license.The St. Joseph County Alcoholic Beverage Board then post-poned the automatic renewal until after the Board of Zoningmet on December 19, 1985.At the December meeting of the South Bend Board of Zoning Appeals, comprised of James Barkley, Joyce Davis, Lewis Jiricek, Richard Kilbase, and Clement Miller, the board denied thepetition that would allow patrons of the tavern to park inthe nearby lot.The Baord’s decision was based on the complaints ofneighbors on the proposed parking lot who “think” crime isgenerated by the bar’s presence even though there has neverbeen an arrest of a bar patron for public nuisance.There are 6 taverns in a 1000’ radius of each other on Western Avenue. They include, Lil’ Caesar’s, the Seahorse,Louvered Door, Anchor Inn, American Legion, and St. Joe Club.Of these 6 taverns, only 2, Lil’ Caesar and St. Joe Club,have their own parking lots. The other 4 use street parking.
Origin:	ca. 1986
Source:	http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16827coll12/id/243
Collection:	LGBTQ Collection
Copyright:	Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University South Bend Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. The Indiana University South Bend Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyright interest for non-university records or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. It is the researcher’s responsibility to seek permission from the copyright owner and any other rights holders for any reuse of these images that extends beyond fair use or other statutory exemptions. Furthermore, responsibility for the determination of the copyright status and securing permission rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University South Bend Archivist.
Subjects:	Gay men--Legal status, laws, etc.--Indiana Lesbians--Legal status, laws, etc.--Indiana Gay culture--Indiana

Further information on this record can be found at its source.