Château Le Sol is one of two properties of Le Sol, a private membership-based club in Kidd Springs. Photography by Lauren Allen.
What was inspired in part by backyard Leon Bridges concerts to become a hospitality company and private club now has city approval.
Le Sol, a membership-based club that runs out of two Kidd Springs homes, was granted a Specific Use Permit from the Dallas City Council Wednesday night to continue operating within the neighborhood.
The approved SUP was amended from the City Plan Commission recommendation of a 1-year permit to a 1.5-year permit by District 1 Council member Chad West, who represents the district where Le Sol operates.
“We are giving this establishment a short leash of a year and a half to demonstrate that it can be a good neighbor and operate as a legitimate business with a certificate of occupancy and all required permits,” West said.
He added that this is the first time he has recommended below two years for such a case and that it provides “guardrails” for the establishment to continue proving itself to the neighborhood.
Founder Taylor Madison told the Oak Cliff Advocate earlier this year that Le Sol officially launched the membership in 2023 and that she had known she wanted to get a SUP from the beginning. Per emails from the City Attorney’s office sent to the property owners of Le Sol House and Château Le Sol, the club was ordered to cease operations in March after being notified of code violations.
Jennifer Hiromoto, the zoning representative for Le Sol, said that they have fully cooperated with code compliance. Le Sol had suspended membership while the SUP application was pending, with visitors still allowed.
Hiromoto was joined by several speakers on behalf of Le Sol.
“This proposed SUP is not a threat to our neighborhood. There are many ways in which Madison’s efforts have already made it a better neighborhood. The staff rapport, planning commission recommendations, and overwhelming support of those of us who live in the adjoining areas all point to approving this SUP,” Stevie Vessels said. “I’m sure that you have received some responses from some vocal residents in the Kidd Springs area that don’t live in our part of the neighborhood. They oppose anything new.”
Another Kidd Springs neighbor, Nathaniel Cheney, requested that the permit be denied.
“I recognize that the applicant has since suspended paid membership and is now going through the proper process,” Cheney said. “And to be fair, that process is exactly how this kind of conflict should get resolved. But I’d ask you to weigh why that process started only after code enforcement forced the issue and not before.”
District 12 Council member Cara Mendelsohn raised concerns about the council approving the SUP application to now allow Le Sol to operate as a “legitimate business.”
“This is a residential street, and we should not be setting a precedent of allowing businesses to operate in residential neighborhoods,” Mendelsohn said. “ We’ve been through this time and again. I thought this was the entire point of doing Forward Dallas. To decide this is residential, this is not. So I’m a hard no, and I think they should be cited. They should be penalized for doing something they are not allowed to do, and they knew it, and they’ve been allowed to do this for years now.”
Of the 58 notices to property owners within 300 feet of Le Sol, there were 17 responses of support and 5 responses of opposition. West highlighted that at the community meetings held regarding Le Sol, the majority of attendees were in favor of the proposed change.
“I am persuaded by the speakers, by the comments that I’ve heard that this is the kind of change that could enrich a community, even though it takes us outside of our comfort zone,” West said. “I view this particular case as a test case, as a pilot that we can watch closely.”
In an 8-4 vote, the SUP was granted with the conditions of no outside speakers and daily operating hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
