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Eric Sanchez of Henderson holds up his eight-month-old nephew Knox Silva during Molto Mario’s Farmer’s Market in Las Vegas Thursday, September 16, 2010.
Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 | 5:15 p.m.
UPDATE (2-9-2011): Clark County officials say they never told Molto Vegas operators to shut down; the market could have continued to operate under a special-use permit while seeking a formal business license. Find an updated story with the county's response here.
Hundreds of would-be produce shoppers were turned away empty handed this morning as one of Las Vegas’ only farmers’ markets shut down over Clark County zoning issues.
According to one of its coordinators, Molto Vegas farmers market was ordered by Clark County officials to temporarily shut down until concerns over business-license classification can be sorted out.
After this story was initially published, Clark County representative Dan Kulin clarified that, to hold a weekly wholesale distribution and farmers market there, Molto Vegas would need a business license and a special-use permit. While applying for that, they could operate with a special-event permit, Kulin said.
“We would allow them to continue to operate,” stressed Kulin.
“We’re in a sticky situation,” explains Doug Taylor, a coordinator of the market and the executive pastry chef for Mario Batali’s Vegas restaurants. “We’re not a grocery store. We’re more than a seasonal farmers’ market because we operate year-round. They are trying to figure out what exactly we are.”
The market typically opens at 11 a.m. and offers dates, peppers, herbs, melons, fresh tomatoes and more—most of which is produced in or around Southern Nevada. Prior to the public opening, the market also delivers to about 20 local restaurants including some of the Strip’s most respected eateries.
Molto Vegas has operated every Thursday for approximately two years inside a portion of Batali’s dry-aging facility, located on Dean Martin Drive. Taylor says no concerns over zoning laws and business license have previously been raised, and that today’s issues were prompted because the county received a complaint, the details of which he does not know.
“We’re doing this for the benefit of the community,” says Taylor. “We donate the space and the time. It brings culture, and we’re helping chefs. I’m not sure who would have ill will against us, but it doesn’t matter why it happened. We just want to get this sorted out.”
God forbid we allow them to operate in good faith while the county figures out the right licensing...
Clark County firefighters have stolen literally millions of taxpayer dollars with overtime, sick time, and call-in abuse with only one commissioner, Mr. Sisolak, challenging it.
And a minor zoning issue that works for the benefit of the public is their priority?
With the exception of Commissioner Sisolak, what an absolute, pathetic joke we have as county commissioners.
"...ordered by Clark County officials to temporarily shut down until concerns over business-license classification can be sorted out."
Apparently commerce is allowed to thrive only with government permission. What possible public good was served by this shutdown??
"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force." -- Ayn Rand (1905-1982)
The County is really trying to keep busy.......
Is this also known as "Bet On The Farm?"
...sounds like a traffic issue of some sort.
If not?
Then the next article for this topic simply has to be titled: Clark County Officials decide to resign en masse!
Way to help jobs and small business. Clark County idiots.
publicbj - maybe because groceries are not subject to sales tax? seems pretty dumb that they wouldn't let them continue to operate.
Well, thank God we've got the county protecting us from all this contraband squash and basil.
Oh wait.. I have unlicensed sage, parsley, and cabbage in my backyard. Where do you apply for the veggie license?
We used to be a libertarian state. Now we've abandoned the good libertarian principles, and adopted the worst ones. Fellow citizens needing psych help? NO WAY! "Pay your own way through life. It's not my job to care for you if you are mentally ill."
The same people call the cops because some farmer's market doesn't have a govt. mandated, expensive permit.
The_Next_Opinon -- good one!
God forbid, we let something "Good" operate instead of tying it up with local gov't BS...let them operate while they sort it out..it's not a big deal..probably a permit which of course the city will gouge them for every penny they can get...let them operate - what the heck, they let all the night clubs operate while they sell sex, drugs and favours !!!
Food is not subject to the tax. Not for years.
Shouldn't we instead focus on job creation, lowering crime, keeping teens busy and out of trouble, and saving homes from foreclosure?
The County should Build a Farmers Market for the community instead of hassling someone that is trying to do good for the community. I know of a department where we can have a few more layoffs. Please let's have more of these markets here.
It would be nice to see who complained on this one - Public Records? Any Real Investigators here? Could be a Real Story?
Who can possibly have a complaint against a farmers market, unless that person is just taking out their revenge for a bad product and service. Farmer markets are the only way some people can afford to purchase fresh produce. I investigate the person who complained, not the farmers market.
I know it is fun to take shots at the county and all the elected and non elected officials that run it but the truth here is that SOMEONE filed a complaint with the county.
There are many things that happen in this valley that the county over looks or has to over look because they can only do something once a COMPLAINT is filed.
Should they cut them some slack, yes. Can they? The laws say no.
I would be interested in WHO FILED THE COMPLAINT. That is thee real villain here.
@The_Next_Opinion
LOL! "contraband squash and basil"
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..
Please bring this market back!!! Are you kidding me?? Shutting down something that adds to the diversity and culture of our community... c'mon!!
Bring this market back ASAP... our community NEEDS it!
Give us back our Farmers Market~! What is this communist China?? It sure is feeling more and more like it every where we turn these days. Nazi Germany? Papers Please?? WHAT is going on? Do we need to take the lead from the people in Egypt and take to the streets in peaceful protest??? Perhaps it will come to that as millions of Americans are living below the poverty level and no jobs in site. Check out this website for some great info! http://www.economicsurvivalguide.org
the complainant? probably whole foods.
As usual, some idiotic government employee is looking out for what's best to keep their job instead of the people they serve.
This is indicative of a State that will NEVER grow successfully. What they should have done is allow the business to operate, THEN figure out what to do about it and meet with the owners, THEN givem them "X" amount of time to comply, and THEN see what happens. This is shoot first and ask questions later. The County Manager should take the heat for this. That's DON BURNETTE. http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/news/pages/...
Here's the County Manager's email address: ccmgr@ClarkCountyNV.gov
The county officials are paid off by big business, they are against the community. I thought they liked the "entrepreneurial spirit? Oops, those people don't donate to my campaign.
Looks like there is a lot of racism in the government still. No wonder they called Nevada "the Mississippi of the West."
I would really like to see some names for who is responsible for this shutdown. The county is seriously going to barge in for a zoning issues? I could understand if someone found a major sanitation issue, but this is ridiculous unless we aren't getting the full story.
I agree with Vegaslee. Whoever filed the complaint is the real villain. What was his/her purpose??? I do think the market should have been given a temporary okay to run until it's sorted out, but then sometimes things don't happen the way we want. As for payoffs, please!
Another item where Greed gets in the way of making Vegas a better place to live. Sorry but the license excuse is really a weak one. Of course we have a couple of Clark County Commissioners running to be Mayor of Las Vegas, with this lack of judgement to close down something locals enjoy for really petty items - might want to be something to think about before you allow the one of the Commissioners that back this type of oversight to become Mayor.
What would they do then - shut down a parade, shut down a concert, shut down fireworks, shut down 1st Friday over $100 license? I would not put it past them.