Greatest of All Taverns must close at 2 p.m.
The City of Carmel announced on Tuesday that it will force a downtown tavern to close at 2 p.m. daily. The action comes after numerous neighbor complaints and frequent police calls related to loud music, public urination and vandalism.
Carmel will begin enforcing the variance currently in place for the GOAT, which includes a closing time of 2 p.m. The previous owners of the property ran a breakfast and lunch café for which the variance was issued in 2007. This variance runs with the land allowing subsequent owners the same variance.
However, city staff missed the fact that the variance included hours of operation that ended each day at 2 p.m. and the GOAT was inadvertently allowed to operate with a closing time of 3 a.m. Under the current variance and the state-issued alcohol permit, the GOAT will be allowed to serve alcohol under their permit for breakfast and lunch, but must close at 2 p.m.
City representatives have met with the owners on numerous occasions, but problems have persisted. Continued complaints from neighbors and businesses about how the venue was operating made it clear that the current variance had to be enforced. Until now, city officials hoped that operations at the GOAT could continue while the request for a change in zoning went through the proper process, but based on the continued and numerous complaints and the number of police calls, that is no longer possible.
The GOAT will have to either get an additional variance or a zoning change approved if it wants to stay open later than 2 p.m.
More government control. Always telling us what is best for our well being. You cannot do this, you are holding others back by your actions. Blah,blah and a double yuck for good measure. Pettiness will be our demise. Brother telling on another brother for “knee jerk” satisfaction. It is a gathering place for people. It is not a tax depot where the dollars earned are to pay outrageous tax rate to build another horrendous roundabout. Brainard is anothet failed, multi-termed, democratic politician. Another pied piper with a following of rats that will surely drown in their own rhetoric. Middle fingers are up because I gottem!
After, the litigation is over, will any staff member be reprimanded for what appears to be gross negligence? Or was staff pressured to issue the permit because of the status of the parties involved? The first question asked in giving new permits is “Does it meet the zoning requirements of the parcel?”