The Willow Glen Resident

Council Watch

Brewpub hits new roadblock to 2 a.m. curfew

Two is too late for Thursday, neighbor says

By Cecily Barnes

One day before Willow Glen Billiards and Brew would have been able to cash in on its new limited 2 a.m. curfew, Meredith Avenue resident Craig Moore filed an appeal to send the matter before the City Council. The matter has tentatively been scheduled to appear before the council April 21.

"Moore said that he wanted to appeal it based on the Thursday night after-midnight use," city planner Jason Burton said. "He said that it was reasonable that Friday and Saturday was after midnight, but on Thursdays [the brewpub] should close at midnight."

On Feb. 25, the Planning Commission approved a six-month conditional use permit to allow Billiards and Brew to stay open until 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. After this decision, Moore and his neighbors met to discuss how to respond.

"We're just kind of concerned about the quality of our life," Moore said.

In his written appeal, Moore points out that because Thursday is a work and school night, the pub should not be permitted to stay open until 2 a.m. "An auto parts store located across the street from Billiards and Brew and the Meredith residents unloads a 60-foot supply truck beginning at approximately 5:45 a.m. every Friday morning," Moore wrote. "If Billiards and Brew is open until 2 a.m. Friday mornings, well, that leaves about four hours of quiet for the residents."

Willow Glen Billiards and Brew co-owner John Karamanos had little to say in response to news of the appeal.

"I'm not surprised," he said. "I just wonder how it is that 99.9 percent of the people are in support of us, and the 0.1 percent who aren't can come in and literally put us out of business."

Karamanos explained that with its midnight closing time, the pool hall probably has about six hours of good business per week. And six hours, he said, is simply not enough.

"We just want to be left alone to run our business," Karamanos said.

Planner Jason Burton says notification of the upcoming council hearing will be sent to everyone who had attended previous meetings on Billiards and Brew.

"I am trying to gather together a comprehensive notification list so that everyone's notified," Burton said. "We want as many people as possible to show up."

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