Greek Restaurant Wins Dance Permit

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to grant a dance permit to The Great Greek restaurant in Sherman Oaks, while easing a previously imposed requirement that the restaurant lease off-street parking for its patrons.

The council approved issuance of a permit to allow ethnic-style dancing by waiters and patrons at the restaurant at 13362 Ventura Blvd.

The Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. had objected to the permit, complaining that it would “increase the applicant’s business, thereby inviting more parking problems than already exist” in the area.

In issuing the permit, the council required the restaurant to provide free valet parking; secure one-year leases on 60 off-street parking spaces for its patrons and employees, and hire security guards, in part to stop the restaurant’s workers from parking on adjoining residential streets.

Not approved by the council was a lower-ranking city planning official’s recommendation that the restaurant be granted the dance permit only if it secured three-year leases on 60 off-street parking spaces. Councilman Mike Woo, who represents Sherman Oaks, opposed the three-year lease requirement.