Meeting Date: 03/02/08 03:00 PM

Meeting Type: Regular

Location: Church of Religious Science, 7677 West Sunset [NE corner of Courtney & Sunset]- handicap accessible, parking lot entered off of Courtney

Details: Agenda
1. Presentation by Sherrie Olson re Aroma Bakery Cafe’s request for full liquor license for new restaurant to be located at 7373 Sunset Blvd [NE corner of Vista & Sunset]. Possible motion & vote.
2. Senior Lead Officer Ralph Sanchez regarding crime and crime prevention in Area 7.
3. Presentation by Valorie Keegan, HHWNC EMS Chair, emergency services, disaster preparedness, crime, scams.
4. Update on Metro Expansion in Hollywood. Possible motion & vote.
5. Info re free tree plantings in our neighborhood.
Adjournment (5:00 PM or earlier).
The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the committees of the meeting on any item of the agenda prior to the committees taking action on an item. Comments from the public on Agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the Agenda that is within the committees’ subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to 3 minutes per speaker unless waived by the presiding chair(s) of the meeting. Agenda is posted for public review: Gardner Street Elementary School, Valley View Elementary School, Yucca Community Center, on bulletin boards at the top and bottom of Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles Library: Will and Ariel Durant Branch and electronically on the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council website WWW.HHWNC.org. As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting the Neighborhood Council Project Coordinator at (213) 485-1588, toll-free at (866) LA HELPS, or e-mail to [email protected].
PROCESS FOR RECONSIDERATION: The committees may reconsider and amend their action on items listed on the agenda if that reconsideration takes place immediately following the original action or at the next regular meeting. The committees, on either of these two days, shall: (1) Make a Motion for Reconsideration and, if approved, (2) hear the matter and Take an Action. If the motion to reconsider an action is to be scheduled at the next meeting following the original action, then two items shall be placed on the agenda for that meeting: (1) A Motion for Reconsideration on the described matter and (2) a Proposed Action should the motion to reconsider be approved. A motion for reconsideration can only be made by a committee member who has previously voted on the prevailing side of the original action taken. If a motion for reconsideration is not made on the date the action was taken, then a committee member on the prevailing side of the action must submit a memorandum to the committee(s) chair(s) identifying the matter to be reconsidered and a brief description of the reason(s) for requesting reconsideration at the next regular meeting. The aforesaid shall all be in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.

I attached both the Appleworks file and the text in the body of the email. You can use whichever is easier.

Neal

Meeting Minutes
March 2, 2008

3:02 Meeting begins
3:03 General introduction, Officer Sanchez not able to appear due to marathon shooting
3:04 Sherrie Olson and Isaac Gadallia present as representatives of Aroma, applicants for full liquor license
Aroma’s Full Liquor License Request, Sherrie Olson
3:05 Sherrie Olson takes the floor
3:06 Sherrie Olson describes the floor plan and sizing of Aroma’s property
3:07 Proposed restaurant currently non-operational.
3:07 Applicant will work with local police to prevent vagrancy and littering
3:07 Applicant plans on renovating old building and creating a new restaurant which offers a high-scale atmosphere
3:08 Sister restaurant in Encino which is successful
3:08 155 inside, 85 outside capacity
3:09 License will disallow alcohol in conjunction with various entertainment
3:09 Food service until 4 AM
3:10 A separate cocktail lounge will be disallowed
3:10 42 available valet parking spaces are planned
3:11 Applicant intends to hire locally
3:11 Question: Where would additional parking be obtained, considering shortage of empty land
3:13 Sherrie Olson mentions that it is difficult to maintain upscale restaurant without alcoholic license
3:14 Applicant currently has Beer & Wine license
3:15 Question: Does liquor license transfer to next owners of property?
3:15 Olson’s response: Liquor license does stay with property but conditions can be applied
3:16 Isaac Gadallia takes the floor to discuss patio area overflowing onto the sidewalk
3:16 Mentions minimum 7 ft. width of sidewalk left over
3:17 Olson maintains that nearly 100 cars might fit into the lot with stacking and valet
3:18 Gadallia confirms charging for valet service
3:18 Question: What is the purpose of today’s presentation? Residents concerned about possibility of nightclub or other establishment coming up.
3:19 Meeting attendee speaks on his hope of seeing a high-end business in the lot
3:21 Current license #41, beer and wine must be served with food, minors allowed. Applied license #47, full liquor must be served with food, minors allowed. Possible license #48, full liquor not required to accompany food, minors not allowed.
3:23 Question: Cane-backed chairs seem to indicate a fast-food restaurant, is this accurate?
3:23 Presenter’s response: No, there are waiters and the cafe is a full-service restaurant.
3:25 Question: Length of lease?
3:25 Gadallia’s response: 10 year lease
3:26 Olson mentions near $100,000 dollar investment for alcohol license.
3:27 Gadallia tells of customers who have requested the liquor license
3:29 Question: Why are alcoholic sales stopped after 12:00, but food is not?
3:30 Olson’s response: To please the police department and the community
3:31 Meeting attendee expresses wish for good-natured businesses on Sunset and in the area
3:34 Eric Carr takes the floor to discuss issues with parking on Vista Street
3:35 Meeting attendee expresses confusion over employee parking situation
3:37 Meeting attendee expresses their opinion that Aroma should start with Beer & Wine permit, and move on in 2-5 years to the full liquor license
3:39 Meeting attendee from Gardener expresses wish for a “nice place” and stresses the traffic difficulties he experiences on his street and tells the presenter the situation must not degrade due to the new establishment
3:41 Meeting attendee says that this question can be used as a bargaining point for parking
3:44 Meeting attendee mentions possibility of the Aroma Cafe “turning around on us” and creating an alcoholic club after gaining this full liquor license
3:47 Meeting attendee suggests trading for evening parking with other businesses
3:50 Motion made to limit Aroma to serving alcohol to 1 AM and food to 2 AM on beer & wine permit for 3 years, at which point the permit can be reviewed
3:52 Motion amended to include food service to 4 AM
3:52 Motion amended to require parking for employees on premises
3:54 Question: How much would a review cost in 1 year?
3:55 Response: By canceling the restaurant would cost an additional $40,000
3:58 Question: Would the restaurant require permission from the area?
4:09 Response: Not strictly
4:07 Presenter expresses hope that the applicant will not lose the advantage of the lottery license they have obtained
4:11 Meeting attendee warns of the difficulty of enforcing and removing various permits from restaurants
4:22 Motion fails to pass, 10 to 11 votes. Limit on Aroma to beer & wine not passed
4:24 Motion made to support full liquor license #47, and that the CUP would come under review in one year from opening of Aroma Bakery, which would allow for a review with possibility of revocation at that time. After such, an automatic expiration CUP at 5 years.
4:26 Friendly amendment made to require moderate support of beautification efforts
4:27 Amendment made to require employee parking on the premises
4:29 Amendment made to include
1. review after one year for a 5 year approval
2. landscaping on Vista
3. close (chain or other obstruction) the parking lot after closing
4. security lights on all night (but not to interfere with adjacent residential use)
5. entrance, but no exit, on Vista
6. exit on Sunset
7. sale of beer and wine in conjunction with food sales to the person
ordering the food and for onsite consumption only
8. no pay phones outside the establishment
9. all graffiti removed or painted over to match color of surface to which it was applied within 24 hours
10. no coin operated or video machines maintained on the premises
11. no music, sound shall be audible beyond the structure
12. no signs advertising the availability of beer and wine on the outside of the establishment
13. all outside trash containers on the property shall be enclosed and located so that noise and odors do not impact on adjacent residential use
14. no entertainment or dancing

Valerie Keegan on Emergency Services, HHWNC EMS Chair, emergency services, disaster preparedness, crime, scams
4:31 Valerie Keegan takes the floor
4:31 Keegan mentions tips to prevent scamming, auto theft, break-ins and breaking and entry
4:36 Keegan paraphrases the governor as saying “you are on your own”

Cheryl Holland discusses update on Metro Expansion

meeting adjourned 5:00 pm