Las Cruces City Council to decide strip club future

The Las Cruces City Council is scheduled to decide whether the owner of a strip club should be granted a permit to allow the club to open after all.

Mariah Hernandez, owner of The Bronx strip club, is appealing the decision by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission to deny her the special use permit, or SUP.

Hernandez would like to build the city’s first strip club in 20 years at 2221 Westgate Court, near the intersection with West Amador Avenue.

The planning commission decided in September to not grant the permit after hours listening to public comment from concerned Las Cruces residents who claimed the club would morally bankrupt the city. Only five people spoke out in defense of the club.

The commission found that granting a special use permit would have a detrimental effect on the surrounding property in the vicinity, as well as the city as a whole.

During Monday’s meeting, city councilors are not allowing public comment on the agenda item.

Councilors will take up Hernandez’s appeal at 1 p.m. Monday during their regular meeting at the Las Cruces City Hall.