WEST VALLEY CITY — New business and zoning licenses for private clubs and reception centers may be put on hold while West Valley City leaders figure out how to keep them from operating as concert venues.

Complaints that large concerts have been occurring at businesses not licensed or zoned for them have led the City Council to consider a moratorium on all new private clubs, reception centers and recreational venues where beer is sold.

The City Council discussed the moratorium during a study meeting Tuesday and will vote on an ordinance on the issue at its March 27 meeting. The moratorium would be lifted in six months, giving West Valley City staff time to study the problem, revise ordinances and set standards, said Paul Isaac, acting city manager.

Isaac said events at so-called "restaurant/reception centers" have been the subject of recent building- and fire-code violations, police calls, parking problems and noise complaints from neighbors.

Concerts at some of those businesses have gone on until 2 a.m., with attendance ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 people, according to staff reports. Many of those buildings aren't designed to handle crowds that large, and some of the businesses are near residential areas.

"We need to put a stop to this so we can study it further," Isaac said.

Rio Nilo at 1950 W. 3572 South was cited as an example of a concert venue masquerading as a reception center for purposes of licensing. The business was closed down in February after reports of several code violations and complaints to police about noise and disorderly conduct of patrons.

"(Rio Nilo) had a lot of violations," said Aaron Crim, city spokesman. "(Problems at the business) were going on at the same time we were looking at redoing the ordinance."

The city did not intend for reception centers to become concert venues, city officials said, although some definitions in the regulating ordinance are seen as too vague. Isaac said city staff members are recommending that such businesses be restricted to manufacturing zones and that they be at least 1,000 feet away from residential areas.

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