Group Seeks Curbs on Downtown Restaurant

When Joe Medina became ill two years ago, he closed his Mexican restaurant on Santa Fe Avenue with every intention of reopening it for business as usual.

But a local group will ask the City Council tonight to impose restrictions on the restaurant to reduce what they say are alcohol-related problems in the old downtown area.

Members of Placentia Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Coalition spoke at last month’s Planning Commission hearing on the issue and recommended denial of the restaurant’s use permit because of the high number of businesses already selling alcohol in the area.

The Planning Commission approved Medina’s use permit to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at the restaurant, but the coalition appealed that decision to the council.

In the coalition’s letter to the city, the group requests that certain conditions be imposed, among them prohibiting a separate bar area of the restaurant and requiring Medina to show that two-thirds of his business is from the sale of food.

Medina, who had operated a restaurant at 330 W. Santa Fe Ave. since the early 1970s, has a good reputation, according to a city staff report, and his business has not been a source of problems for police.

Medina must reapply for a permit because his restaurant, shuttered since November 1995, has been closed for more than a year, and its previous permit expired.

The council tonight will also consider awarding a contract to All City Management Services Inc. of Los Angeles to provide crossing guard service. The estimated annual cost is $85,291.

The council will meet at 7:30 p.m. in chambers, 401 E. Chapman Ave. Information: (714) 993-8141.