About 50 Studio City residents spoke for nearly three hours Tuesday at a city zoning hearing and offered pros and cons for a Little Dom’s going into Tujunga Village at Moorpark Street and Kraft Avenue.
The hearing at the City Zoning office in Van Nuys was the next step needed for approval of a liquor license and permission to park cars more than 750 feet from the deli.
Ultimately, Maya Zaitzevsky, the associate zoning administrator, said she would take the matter under advisement and welcomed additional input as she weighed the decision, which she planned to issue before June 7.
il membersand Gail Steinberg attended the meeting, as did SCNC regulars Barry Johnson and Marilyn White-Sedel.
“It was wonderful in that neighborhood 55 years ago,” said White-Sedel, who has lived in the area that long. “And we need a restaurant there with that character. We tried [the one in Los Feliz] and it was wonderful.”
But Johnson, also a member of the who lives nearby on Farmdale, said he wondered if this was the right location for the business because parking is at a minimum in an area already crowded with and .
Warner Ebbink, the owner of Little Dom’s who lives in the neighborhood with his two children said, “The last thing I want to do is create chaos in the neighborhood where I live because of a business that I put there.”
Ebbink said he surveyed the area very carefully and worked out parking arrangements more than any other business in the area.
The parking is more than 750 feet away at and will have valet service. That arrangement concerned Mikie Maloney, the director of community and public relations at the across the street from the church. She said the school pays $50,000 a year to use some of the 107 parking spaces at the church and 22 days they need the lot for special events.
“We are concerned about the safety of all the extra traffic for our children,” Maloney said. “We are very concerned.”
, representing the , said Ebbink has shown a willingness to work with the community, and declared “he is an asset to the community.”
City Councilman Paul Krekorian’s office also expressed support for the project, as did the Land Use Committee, but the full Studio City Neighborhood Council felof endorsing the project.
A local mother, Joya Weinraub, talked about problems with sanitation and public intoxication. She said her 5-year-old playing on a scooter and running around with the puppy next door would be less safe on their neighborhood street because of the influx of parking and traffic.
Reality show producer Bobby Logan, who works across from the proposed 146-seat restaurant and lives nearby, said “I’ve had to call to get the cars towed because they are parking in our spots, and we have people working all hours of the day and night.”
Resident Didi Gordon said Little Dom’s is a family-friendly place and that Ebbink is “respectful of the architecture.” She conjectured that “the people who are against this coming in are business owners who are afraid of competition, or because the food isn’t very good.”
owner Janice Hood, whose grandfather started their business in 1961, said, “I’m sad that this has denigrated into an attack on businesses in the area. I’m just concerned about the traffic and lack of parking.”
Michael Levy, owner of ; Joel Gutman of the ; and Fred Joseph, who owns two houses in the area and a local business; all spoke against Littlle Dom’s. Joseph submitted a petition with 109 signatures objecting to the increased traffic.
Beth Schiffman, who lives across the street on Kraft Avenue, said, “Not only do I think there should be no outdoor dining, but I’m concerned about music being amplified or piped outside.”
And, Russ Thomas, who also lives on Kraft with three children ages 6, 10 and 13, said two accidents have occurred in his driveway due to cars turning around looking for free parking. “I’m concerned about our property values coming down when people find out they can’t park on their own street,” Thomas said.
Even before the zoning hearing was over, Ebbink and his representative Brett Engstrom were making compromises to the proposals while listing to some of the residents. He agreed to scale back the hours to midnight on weekends and 11 p.m. during weekdays.
“With my other business, I employ 150 people, and with this it will be 175,” Ebbink said. “This is a place that people can come with their dogs and kids, and just have fun. It’s a neighborhood restaurant.”
Victoria Burner contributed to this report.
For them to attack already established businesses who have made this area a diverse lovely place to go is shameful. Where do they think the 150 employees are going to park? Again the main issue is parking and taking into consderation the residents concerns. Valet parking blocks away is only going to further congest this area. The Tea HOuse on moorepark from what I gather was short one parking space and was never allowed to open because of it.So how can this busy busy restaurant without secured parking for the next ten years be allowed to open? We love our local established business and they were here first and the community has worked around the parking issues but don't push us into more problems with parking.Find another location with ample parking and truly think of the residents and the community .
Marla Hart
One other issue is that those of us who live on Kraft don't want our guests and family who visit to have to deal with restricted parking but the parking issue is SOOOO bad that we are willing to go this route. On top of the parking situation is the idea that the restaurant plans to be open to really late with a liquor license. The city officials who are making the final decision don't have to deal with the noise or the fact that strangers will be drinking late and then driving in their neighborhoood. And another problem is the plan for the valet to pick up cars at the top of Kraft and make a U-turn to go down the street to the church to park. This is going to be a huge and different problem. Imagine if the street you lived on had constant congestion from a valet making u-turns or double parked or illegally parked cars waiting for valet. In the end, the restaurant is a business and all they care about is money and their investments. And in the end big money always wins over the little guys (i.e. the actual residents who have to deal with the problem). We will pursue the restricted parking soon.
All the people from the meeting and on here that are for Little Dom's don't LIVE IN the actual neighborhood so it's easy for them to be in support of it. Especially when they are the owner's friends.
I too live on Kraft. I agree with the sentiments of my neighbors. We mean Little Dom's no harm. I can tell from all the friends who came out to support them that they must be nice people. I just wish the situation was different. But I agree with the other neighbor who stated it is not just the parking but also the concerns of valet, liquor licenses, and late night hours...even with 10 p.m. on weekdays & 11 p.m. on weekends. I also attended the meeting and realize maybe the non-residents of the neighborhood don't realize that the houses and apartments on our street don't have garages big enough for cars since they were from the 1950s. Therefore, residents who live on Kraft have to park on the street. So we are competing with restaurant and shop patrons for parking on our own street! The article states that: "Warner Ebbink, the owner of Little Dom’s who lives in the neighborhood"...does anyone know if he actually lives here? From the neighborhood council meeting, it seemed like he probably lives somewhere in Studio City but from what I recall, not in Coflax Meadows & does not live, more importantly, near the site of his proposed new restaurant location.
I would love to have a great breakfast joint in the area - I boycott Aroma, as they are the scourge of the neighborhood (I could fill a dumpster with all the Aroma cups I pick up off my lawn). I suggest the neighboring blocks go to 24 hour restricted parking, like the neighborhoods around 3rd Street. Then I'd be totally cool with Little Doms.
Charlotte Miller, Colfax Meadows
AS far as I have heard they do not have a ten year parking contract with any one.What happens after one year when their parking might not be renewed? I thought a business has to have a ten year parking lease to go with their ten year business lease? This has not been established to any ones knowledge. I heard the school across the street is already paying a large amount yearly for parking and it sounds like it was news to them that they will be sharing this lot. Yes we like having good restaurants in the area and we already do. Where does it end?Does every business who wants to come to this little area that has been built up by and because of the already established businesses get to regardless of the zoning requirements? What are the laws for and who do they apply to?
have them use that corner with parking why try to squeeze into a place with no parking how is that good for the neighborhood? more employees a parking in front residents houses is not good for the neighborhood