Building sale, beer garden approved

CLOVIS — A pair of events involving one of Clovis’ newest businesses drew some opposition, but in general won support from the Clovis city commission after discussions about whether alcohol belonged at certain places and certain functions.

By separate 5-1 votes, the commission approved the sale of the Levine’s building on the 400 block of Main Street and allowed a beer garden for the Aug. 6 Under Over Art Festival in Hillcrest Park. Both events involved Red Door Brewing Company, which is Albuquerque-based but has established a location inside Mainline Bowl.

Commissioner Gary Elliott cast the dissenting vote in both instances.

In regard to the Levine’s building, Red Door managing member Matt Biggs said his plans for the open facility are to use it about half of the week as a outdoor taproom and let the community use it the rest of the time as a place to either relax or bring their lunch downtown.

“I wouldn’t be coming back if we weren’t having a smashing success,” Biggs said. “I’ve felt very welcomed by the public; we have been very busy.”

Red Door was second on the list for bidders for the property, and moved up to first when Foote/Hyder withdrew its interest. Clovis MainStreet Executive Director Lisa Pellegrino-Spear said she’s seen the property get plenty of foot traffic even without any vendor present.

“The place has got a lot of charm,” Pellegrino-Spear said, “even if from a technical eye we don’t see it that way.”

The property comes at a $5,000 cost to Red Door, and Biggs believes he’ll be able to recoup the cost and generate gross receipts taxes for the city soon after he’s able to designate an off-site brewer distribution license for the area. That will be addressed in a future commission meeting, and require a variance because the building is within 300 feet of the Potter’s House church.

That was one of the issues Elliott had with the brewery setting up on Main. He said he heard about security concerns during a previous event on Main Street with Red Door. Biggs said he’d never been approached about any concerns during or after that event.

Mayor David Lansford said he would like some kind of clawback provision in the contract, given the city and Clovis MainStreet have worked for 13 years to get the building in its current shape. Biggs said he had no issue with a clawback provision, and the commission voted to approve the sale contingent on addition of a provision.

Elliott said after the meeting it wasn’t right for Potter’s House to have to be so close to a place that serves alcohol, given how much of its work goes towards helping people with substance addictions.

Regarding the art festival, representative Scott Knauer said 300 people were interested in the event online so far with 16 artists, yoga and zumba classes and a pair of musical acts.

The beer garden would have meet state requirements with a fence of at least 3 feet and enclosed with one entrance/exit. Biggs said staff would either do ID checks upon every entrance or issue some kind of bracelet.

“If security is lacking,” Biggs said, “we won’t serve.”

Following the meeting, Elliott felt people could have soft drinks at the festival and still have fun at the festival.

In other business at the Thursday meeting:

• The city approved polling places for the March 3, 2020 municipal election.

Voters, regardless of district, can cast ballots at Colonial Park Golf Course, the Youth Recreation Building, Roy Walker Community Center, Trinity United Methodist Church and Clovis Fire Department Station No. 5.

Early voting will be available at city hall and North Plains Mall.

• Daniel Eilenstine of Clovis inquired about creating a committee for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Eilenstine, a wheelchair user, also encouraged city commissioners and staffers to take on the wheelchair challenge where they use a wheelchair for a set amount of time and discover, “you just don’t see the issues others would see.”

Lansford said before creating a committee, he’d like to see the 10 highest-problem areas for wheelchair users addressed, and asked Assistant City Manager Claire Burroughes to take on the task with hopes Eilenstine could help.

• District 1 Commissioner David Robinson participated in his first meeting, and took former Commissioner Ladona Clayton’s positions as District 1 representative for the Public Works Committee and the Chamber of Commerce’s railroad committee.

Lansford said he would take over for Clayton on the water policy advisory committee, “because I’m so wrapped around the axle of water anyway” as chair of the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Aug. 8 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.