PLACENTIA : City Council OKs Permit for Liquor

A local restaurant owner who late last year was refused a permit to sell liquor at his new location has won City Council approval for the permit.

Fausto Navarrete redesigned the interior of the Santa Fe site to reduce counter seating and to add booths.

In hearings last August and October, the Planning Commission and council expressed concern that the number of counter seats made the establishment more of a bar than a family-style restaurant.

Also, the initial application gave the council the impression that giving a permit to the new restaurant, El Salude, would mean adding a permit to sell beer and wine for on-site consumption to an area where nine other businesses already had permits to sell liquor.

The council rejected the application Oct. 4, with then-Mayor Norman Z. Eckenrode and Councilwoman Carol Downey as its only supporters.

Development Services director Joyce Rosenthal told the council last week that one of those businesses would close and transfer its liquor license to the new business in a partnership.

Luis Lopez, who has owned Mi Ranchito restaurant at 214 W. Santa Fe Ave. for 22 years, told the council he would close that restaurant and become partners with Navarrete, his son-in-law, in El Salude when it opens at 216 W. Santa Fe Ave.

Rosenthal also said in reports to the council that Lopez has a successful track record in the restaurant business and would be at a disadvantage if he were not allowed to continue selling liquor with meals.

The council voted 4 to 0 to grant the permit. Councilwoman Maria Moreno was absent.

Mayor Michael L. Maertzweiler and Councilman John O. Tynes both said they changed their votes because they misunderstood the initial application and would not object to the new restaurant as long as it did not increase the overall number of businesses selling liquor in the Santa Fe area.