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Board approves Locals Only bar and alcohol-distance waiver with conditions on hours and code compliance
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Board approved a conditional use permit and alcohol-distance waiver for Locals Only neighborhood bar at 1230 North Dixie Highway, adding explicit hours of operation and conditions requiring resolution of outstanding code violations before a business license is issued.
The Lake Worth Beach Planning & Zoning Board approved a conditional use permit and an alcohol-distance waiver for Locals Only, a proposed neighborhood sports bar at 1230 North Dixie Highway, after staff and the applicant agreed to additional conditions addressing hours of operation and outstanding code violations.
Staff senior planner Karina Maldonado told the board the site is just under 1,600 square feet, the applicant proposes sports-focused programming and occasional live entertainment, and the property currently has two open code-compliance cases tied to signage and parking. Maldonado said the waiver is required because the site lies within 500 feet of residential zoning and another alcohol license and reviewed criteria in Section 5.5(b) that the board must apply to the waiver.
Josanda Lovett and an on-site representative spoke for owner Eric Sessions, who was absent for medical reasons. The representative said the business will be "strictly for Lake Worth people" and pledged to follow city rules and maintain security measures. In response to board concerns about accessory gaming, the applicant said the pool table can be made free to preserve accessory status: "The pool table does have it's coin operated. I have a coin machine on it. But if it's not, I can I'll take it off, and then I'll just make it accessible to people." The board added explicit hours as a condition and required that all outstanding code violations be resolved before issuing a business license.
Two written comments were read into the record: one in support urging the city to encourage new investment, and one from a neighbor citing concerns about live entertainment, parking and noise enforcement. After discussion, a board member moved to approve the CUP and the alcohol-distance waiver with the agreed hours and conditions; the motion passed by voice vote.
Conditions include: resolving code compliance issues before license issuance, sidewalk and alley improvements per public-works requirements, noise-control compliance, and the city’s authority to revoke the license if the property becomes a chronic nuisance. The board also requested staff place code-enforcement and potential LDR updates about accessory indoor recreation on a future workshop list.
