Hollywood nightclubs put on notice for bad behavior

Hollywood nightclubs that serve drunken patrons, admit minors and fill the dance floor beyond capacity should be prepared to answer to the city’s building inspectors, a Los Angeles city councilman said Thursday.

Standing on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell warned nightclub owners that the city’s building inspectors would cite them for any violations of their operating permits.

One club already facing those repercussions is Cashmere. The club has had 18 permit violations since July, according to Frank Bush, executive officer of the Department of Building and Safety. A breakdown of those violations was not immediately available.

A public hearing on the violations is scheduled for Oct. 22, according to Bush.

In August, disc jockey Jose Silva, who was also known as “DJ Steez,” was at Cashmere when he became involved in a brawl. The 20-year-old had collapsed by the time police arrived. He later died at a hospital.

“There is a culture of rogue behavior that exists among some of our nightlife establishments in Hollywood,” O’Farrell said. “This culture is diminishing the quality of life for people who live here and we are determined to bring them into compliance or shut them down.”

An attorney for Cashmere said the charges are without merit.

“Nothing has been adjudicated in court so obviously we’re looking forward to our day in court,” attorney Michael Kolodzi said.

Permit violations at nightclubs in the Hollywood area are not new. City Atty. Mike Feuer filed a probation violation against the Supper Club on Wednesday, accusing it of violating conditions of a zoning code. A woman answering the phone at Supper Club declined to comment.

Two years ago, Supper Club pleaded no contest to overcrowding, use of an open flame, use of a structure without a permit, illegal wiring, obstructed exits and storage of combustible materials, according to a spokesman for the city attorney. The company was placed on probation for 36 months. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 20 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Halloween is typically the busiest night of the year in Hollywood, with an additional 300 officers patrolling the area, said Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Pete Zarcone.

“A significant portion of violent crime in Hollywood would be attributed to public drunkenness,” Zarcone said. “People get over-intoxicated all up and down Hollywood Boulevard.”

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