The Willow Glen Resident

Council Watch

City gives thumbs up to La Villa barbecue

Deli can keep its barbecue unless appeal is filed

By Cecily Barnes

After an uneventful planning director's hearing Feb. 11, La Villa Delicatessen owner Dave Bertucelli walked out with permission to continue barbecuing--as long as no one appeals the decision.

"It will automatically be signed unless someone appeals it [to the Planning Commission]," senior planner Carol Hamilton said of the use permit that was approved for La Villa. "Only the property owner or people who live within 300 feet can appeal the decision."

Appeals must be filed within 10 days of the decision.

Barbecue smoke on Lincoln Avenue became a known problem at a Nov. 19 Planning Commission meeting, where Willow Glen Billiards and Brew asked for a permit to stay open until 2 a.m. A neighbor at the meeting complained about barbecue smoke from Billiards and Brew, spurring planning staff to check the barbecue-use permits for the brewpub and surrounding businesses.

As it turned out, none of the businesses that barbecued--La Villa, Billiards and Brew or Plaza Inn--had permits. The complaint was turned over to the code enforcement department, which sent out compliance orders to those businesses, ordering them to obtain a permit or stop barbecuing.

Following the compliance orders, The Resident received an onslaught of letters about the issue. Many stated that restricting weekend barbecuing was petty and that La Villa's barbecues were a tradition. Others complained that the smoke was a nuisance.

Bertucelli says the controversy has been interesting and not entirely negative. "It didn't break my heart to not be standing out there, barbecuing in the rain," Bertucelli said. "It's frustrating to go through the procedures, but it's been real nice to see how loyal all our customers are."

On Feb. 7, Bertucelli placed a petition at the deli asking for signatures to save the barbecue, just in case there was a problem at the hearing.

"We got six pages of signatures," Bertucelli said. "It's nice to know that you're doing something that people appreciate. You're here working 14-hour days...and it's nice to know that people support you."

La Villa's permit specifies that the barbecue must be placed indoors at the end of the day, and that it can't emit smoke between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Bertucelli predicts barbecuing will start again in March.

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