Monrovia : Ronnie’s Denied Permit

The music has ended at Ronnie’s, a rock ‘n’ roll club with a history of problems with police and state alcoholic beverage control officials. The City Council this week denied an appeal by owner Ron Yates for a new conditional-use permit that would have permitted entertainment at the club.

The city Planning Commission had voted earlier this year not to renew the club’s permit because Yates had not made required improvements, such as building a wall around the club’s parking lot and enclosing its trash bin.

In denying Yates’ appeal, council members also called attention to numerous complaints about noise from neighbors of the East Huntington Drive bar and past problems with fights, drug use and drinking by minors.

Yates, backed by a contingent of about 20 rock musicians and club patrons, promised to make the improvements and argued that trouble with police had stopped since the club ceased booking punk and heavy metal bands. Police Chief Bill Tubbs confirmed that Ronnie’s had not been a problem area for the past three months.