Panel assembled for the “My Voice Counts” workshop at the Oakwood Recreation Center. Left to right: Brenda Simmons, executive vice-president for Institute for Public Strategies; Regan Kibbee, local activist, asking question before beginning; Tricia Keane, planning director for Councilman Mike Bonin; Claudia Martin, local neighborhood prosecutor for quality of life issues from City Attorney’s office; and Sarah Blanch, Westside impact project manager for Institute for Public Strategies.

Venice is unique!

Many ask what difference does it make who sells liquor and who doesn’t? Some state they will not eat at a restaurant that doesn’t sell alcohol. Others live near establishments that sell liquor. Some live as close as 3 feet, some 13.5 feet to quote a few measurements involved with controversial projects on the Venice scope. Those in close proximity do not appreciate the sale of alcohol. Can all be satisfied?

“My Voice Matters,” sponsored by the Institute for Public Strategies, was held Wednesday at the Oakwood Recreational Center. It was a forum established to educate the public regarding the licensing of liquor and what can be done. Brenda Simmons, executive vice-president, gave the keynote opening statement, and stated they are trying to find solutions at the local level. Tricia Keane, council district 11 planning director, explained the new condition compliant unit (CCU), and Claudia Martin, as the local neighborhood prosecutor for quality of life issues, explained her role.

A “My Voice Matters” tool kit was handed out to those attending. This was a notebook of facts gathered regarding alcohol licensing.

Map of where restaurants with liquor licenses are in Venice. Red shows beer and wine licensees and blue are those with full liquor approval. Map is a reduction and did not replicate well. Unfortunately, the names and addresses of restaurants did not reformat well at all.

100-foot Requirement—How?
How about enforcing the laws—no liquor licenses within so many feet?

John Reed, local architect, showed on a board the concentration of restaurants with liquor licenses in Venice—both beer and wine and the full license.

What Reed brought out was the fact that Venice is unique in that it has no central city, no central commercial area. Reed refers to Venice as having “block” zoning. Venice has Washington, Venice, Rose, Abbot Kinney Blvd in addition to Main and Ocean Front Walk with spatterings of Commercial zoning. None of these are without residential zoning and behind each is residential zoning, separated by a street, an alley, a Speedway. Manufacturing in Venice with few exceptions is an alley, a street away from residential zoning. This is what Reed referred to as “block” zoning.

This makes it impossible to exclude liquor licensing within 100 feet, which is one standard for not granting a license.

Keane says CCU at PLUM
Tricia Keane started out the program by stating the condition compliant unit (CCU) authorization is at the PLUM (Planning, Land Use Management) committee now and will then go to the City Council for approval before being implemented.

“The CCU will be a unit of Planning but will be enforced by Building and Safety,” she said. “B&S will be monitoring conditional use permits, beverage (alcohol) (CUB) and entertainment (CUX) the first six months of startup and the last six months before permit expiration.

“There will be a five-day turnaround for complaints. This will provide a record of a licensees’ operation and display any problems.”

Martin is prosecutor for license violators
Claudia Martin of the city attorney’s office said it was her duty to prosecute quality of life issues in this area, which falls within the alcohol license purview.

“It may be hard to renew, or to file at all, and might result in ending a license,” she said. “At first we ask them to comply. There is an ACE, Administrative Case Enforcement for civil action.

“Violations are a misdemeanor and start at $250 with a maximum of $1000 plus jail time. Prosecutions are on a case by case basis.”

One person in the audience brought up the fact that he had received a $300 citation for texting while driving and does not do that any more. His point was that a $250 citation for doing something wrong in a liquor business that makes $10,000 a night was not significant.

Tricia Keane mentioned that those wanting to get early notification of liquor applications in the area could get on the automatic email notification program by emailing Planning.CCU@LACity.org.

Unfortunately, this Venice Update reporter had to leave midway of the program. The program was filmed and will be available for viewing on VeniceUpdate.com as soon as edited and uploaded, probably Monday. It may be on the email Venice Update also depending on the size.