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Council affirms Planning Commission approval for temporary haunted house at Newpark Mall over code‑compliance concerns (3–1 vote)
Summary
The council voted 3–1 to affirm the Planning Commission’s conditional use permit (U2026‑002) for a temporary 'Fear Overload' haunted house at Newpark Mall after one council member raised long‑running code‑compliance issues at the mall but others emphasized jobs and local economic benefits.
The council considered a call‑up of a Planning Commission approval for a temporary commercial entertainment permit (U2026‑002) for a “Fear Overload” haunted house at Newpark Mall (2086 Newpark Mall, Suite 1149, APN 901‑111‑25). The item was pulled for review by a council member who cited persistent property maintenance and code‑compliance problems at the mall.
One council member argued the required findings could not be made while the property has outstanding code issues. Another council member and the mayor emphasized the recreational and local economic benefits, citing staff estimates of event attendance and spillover to restaurants and hotels. The council discussed projected attendance: staff noted organizers expect about 1,400 customers at peak hours and about 800 customers during nonpeak hours.
After discussion, Vice Mayor moved to affirm the Planning Commission’s approval; the motion passed on a 3–1 vote with one council member opposed and one absent. The mayor encouraged staff to analyze potential economic benefits in greater detail in the future. The council also did not use the call‑up as the vehicle to address long‑standing code enforcement concerns; one council member said they expect to bring the mall’s broader property‑management issues back for future consideration.
