County not entertained by bar’s parking problems

Thursday, Oct. 17, 2002 | 9:39 a.m.

The Clark County Commission has effectively banned live entertainment at a bar featuring transvestite performances near the Strip.

The action Wednesday affects Sasha's bar and is the latest chapter in ongoing parking problems at a cluster of bars and clubs between Paradise Road and Swenson Street north of McCarran International Airport. Some of the businesses in the area cater to a primarily gay or lesbian clientele.

Last March, Sasha's applied for and received permission from the County Commission to offer live entertainment with the condition that the bar provide valet service to keep cars out of the already congested neighborhood.

But a deal to park the cars a few blocks away fell through and in August the club was cited for violating county rules. Darren Welsh, an attorney representing the club, argued that the problem should not impact Sasha's entertainment license. But nearby club owners and managers, county planning staff and county commissioners disagreed.

"You've not shown good faith in even trying to comply with the conditions," Commissioner Chip Maxfield said.

Welsh and Sasha's management tried to gain a county waiver to offer 63 parking spaces where 135 spaces are required. While the commission, sitting as the county zoning board, took away Sasha's right to offer live entertainment, the business could get another chance. Maxfield's motion, unanimously adopted, allows the club to once again offer entertainment if Sasha's can find some place to park overflow traffic within the next 30 days.

Chris Kaempfer, an attorney representing another club, Gypsy, located across Paradise, said businesses in the area have been hurt by the lack of adequate parking at Sasha's.

"Please deny the waiver today," Kaempfer asked the commission. "Show them that your conditions mean something."

Another business owner, Kaye Taylor of the Free Zone, said she has had to hire extra employees to monitor parking in her small lot, also across the street from Sasha's.

"It's been going on for a long time," she said. "It's made things hard for all of us."

The lack of parking in the area has businesses in the cluster seeking relief from the Clark County Aviation Department, which owns land nearby and, the business owners hope, could provide some areas for more parking.

The County Commission last month directed staff to begin negotiations with the businesses on the parking issue.

Ed Uehling, a local building owner, said criticism of Sasha's is "a family fight" among businesses catering to gays and lesbians. He supported Sasha's efforts to win a waiver from the county.

He said the parking issue could be resolved if the negotiations with the airport directors are successful.

Managers from Sasha's, Gypsy and other nearby businesses had presented a united front last month in asking the county to open negotiations over the parking issue.