GARDEN GROVE : Patio Alcohol Vetoed Despite Official’s Plea

The City Council last week refused to let a restaurant serve alcohol on its patio, despite lobbying by the property owner, Councilman J. Tilman Williams.

The council also revoked a conditional use permit allowing alcoholic beverages at another restaurant, Unique Zone, which police say is frequented by gang members.

Following discussion on the permit for Unique Zone on Garden Grove Boulevard, Williams voted with the other four council members to revoke it, based on past violations. The owners of Unique Zone have been cited by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for serving alcohol to minors and to intoxicated patrons, city officials said.

“I’d like to see this council take action to do away with all booze in the city of Garden Grove,” Williams said.

But just minutes before, he had stepped down from the dais to address his colleagues on behalf of his tenant, Francisco De Dios, who runs Pancho’s Restaurant on Garden Grove Boulevard.

Williams said he didn’t think that allowing beer and wine on the patio would increase crime. The restaurant is already allowed to serve the beverages at its eight tables inside.

Councilman Robert F. Dinsen agreed with Williams.

“I just can’t see how this is going to create a crime wave,” Dinsen said.

But the other three council members voted against the proposal, saying that it could create problems when combined with other modifications of sites in the Harbor Corridor Specific Plan.

Under that plan, businesses without the required lot width, including Pancho’s, are not allowed to intensify their use. Council members said the proposal to serve wine and beer on the patio would qualify as an intensification of use.

Pancho’s is in an area with seven active gangs and one of the city’s highest crime rates, officials said.

“It is unfortunate in today’s world that people on a patio can’t sit and enjoy themselves and partake,” said Councilman W.E. (Walt) Donovan. “But we have to go along with precedent the City Council has set and not allow alcoholic beverages on a patio.”