In April 2021, Mixx, a minority-owned LGBTQ+ bar and lounge in Atlanta’s Ansley Square, applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to build a community-focused outdoor dining deck connected to the Atlanta Beltline. The deck would serve seated diners only, with strict conditions: no music or entertainment, service ending at 9:00 pm, and the space cleared by 10:00 pm and shut down by 11:00 pm.
Despite these limits and a strong track record of community engagement and noise compliance, the Ansley Park Civic Association (APCA) opposed the permit. Though early noise concerns were resolved through a 2016 agreement—backed by expert soundproofing and a public show of support from Ansley Park—the newly appointed Zoning Chair reversed years of cooperation. Mixx faced renewed scrutiny, allegedly rooted in bias and fear of its predominantly African American nighttime clientele.
Although the Zoning Review Board found no technical reasons to deny the application, it was still rejected multiple times. Mixx prevailed in court at one point, but APCA used Georgia’s SLAPP law to overturn the decision and even sued for legal fees.
Mixx later hired civil rights attorney Hakim Hilliard and worked collaboratively for 18 months to develop acceptable terms for a new application. In 2025, the Zoning Board finally recommended approval—but the City Council declined to vote, with no explanation. Meanwhile, several LGBTQ+ establishments with outdoor decks nearby have closed, leaving a critical void.
Mixx has invested over a decade, substantial resources, and sustained goodwill in pursuit of this deck. The permit would bring new jobs, increased tax revenue, and much-needed outdoor dining to the Beltline corridor.