Council should close Gitana

I was very disappointed to read in the Burbank Leader on Wednesday

that the City Council tabled the hearing to remove the Gitana

restaurant permit. I find it unacceptable that these council members

have turned a deaf ear to police and fire officials, the planning

commission’s ruling, and staff reports.

I find it also unacceptable that Gitana didn’t pay one cent toward

their fine until only recently. Now we are allowing them to pay the

rest of their fine on a monthly basis? Now, that is an interesting

concept. I bet if I were fined, the city of Burbank wouldn’t “float

me a loan.” Did the council consider that fewer incident calls

doesn’t mean fewer incidents? It only means fewer calls. Fewer calls

for a reason?

We are putting the lives of our police and fire department

personnel in jeopardy dealing with the customers who patronize

Gitana. It will take someone actually getting killed during one of

these unfortunate events at Gitana before there will be change.

Have we taken into consideration that the person getting killed

may be one of our police officers in the line of duty? As a lifelong

Burbank resident, I do not want this establishment in my

neighborhood.

Gitana is in a prime location, and I can’t believe with all the

good improvements to our downtown that currently exist and are in

progress, we can’t get a restaurant in that location that has a known

reputation. If Burbank is trying to attract businesses and families

to patronize our town, we need to have safe establishments for them

go to.

City Council members, please listen to the police department

recommendations and take action.

CHRISTYANN SEEKINS EVANS

Burbank