SANTA PAULA : City Delays Action on Bar’s Reopening
The Santa Paula City Council will review police reports before deciding whether to allow the owner of a Main Street bar to reopen.
Citing staff reports that La Hacienda bar caused a threat to public safety, the City Council voted to delay a decision on owner Manuel Magana’s application for a conditional-use permit to serve alcoholic beverages.
“I would like to see the downtown become a safe place and a clean place,” said Councilwoman Margaret Ely, who said frequent reports of violence and public urination at the bar prompted the council to investigate the situation.
The bar was closed April 19 because Magana had his license suspended for 10 days by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control after pleading guilty to writing a bad check.
A city law requires a bar owner to reapply for permission to sell alcohol if his bar is closed by the state.
But the city Planning Commission denied the application on Aug. 13 and Magana appealed to the City Council.
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