Downtown nightlife venues in San Jose, such as San Pedro Social and Kaizen Lounge, have been operating past midnight without the required conditional use permits since their openings. This has angered other nightclub owners who adhere to the city’s regulations and have invested heavily to comply. San Pedro Social is linked to former Mayor Tom McEnery while Kaizen Lounge is associated with the prominent Swenson Builders. This situation highlights the difficulty and expense of obtaining necessary permits, which can cost over $26,000 and involves a complex approval process.
The skewed playing field for politically-connected businesses is infuriating other local entrepreneurs who have spent years - and tens of thousands of dollars complying with San Jose's strict rules for downtown nightlife.
A conditional use permit costs more than $26,000. San Jose's approval process can be bureaucratic, time-consuming and riddled with red tape.
Collection
[
|
...
]