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Council Watch
Council vote ends Glen's long battle for a 2 a.m. closing time
Owners allowed 10 late-night events per year
By Jessica Lyons
Last call will come a little earlier at The Glen this weekend. Despite Mayor Ron Gonzales' 11th-hour plea on The Glen's behalf, the City Council last week voted 6-5 to close the Lincoln Avenue restaurant's doors at midnight.
The council's decision ends the restaurant's nearly one-year battle with neighbors and city officials to be allowed to pour drinks till 2 a.m.
"There really is no next step for us except to just refocus and go with the flow," said Stella Karamanos, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, John, after the Oct. 5 council meeting.
After nearly two hours of mixed public comments--some neighbors complained about noise from late-night revelers, while some maintained they didn't hear a peep from the brew-pub's patrons--Vice Mayor and Willow Glen's Council Member Frank Fiscalini made a motion to deny The Glen's appeal and accept the Planning Commission's recommendation, closing the upscale billiards hall at midnight, with the exception of up to 10 private parties per year. At these 10 events, doors may stay open till 2 a.m., and live entertainment will be allowed.
Fiscalini said the late-night hours push the limits of a restaurant into the murky waters of nightclub territory.
"For me, it really comes down to a simple land-use issue with citywide implications," he explained. "Late-night uses are not part of the fabric of neighborhood business districts."
Disagreeing with his vice mayor, the Planning Commission and the majority of the City Council, Gonzales spoke against Fiscalini's motion, saying it was "not fair." He suggested a "compromise" allowing The Glen to keep its late-night hours on weekends and bank holidays, to play live music only so long as there were diners in the restaurant and prohibiting dancing at any time.
The council never voted on Gonzales' proposal, however, as Fiscalini's motion was narrowly approved by a 6-5 vote. Council Members Charlotte Powers, Cindy Chavez, Alice Woody and John Diquisto and Mayor Gonzales voted against the motion.
Neighbors' responses were mixed.
Some said noisy patrons exiting the restaurant at 2 a.m. keep them awake at night.
"I'm a person that requires a lot of beauty sleep," said Tim Walker, who lives near The Glen with his wife and three children. "As many of you can tell, I haven't been getting that beauty sleep."
Other neighbors, however, said busy work schedules prevent them from eating or socializing during normal hours. The Glen accommodates their hectic schedules.
"The Glen has provided a home and a heart for our community," said Glenite Laura Grant.
Co-owner Stella Karamanos says the council's decision in effect gives The Glen the freedom to become a nightclub 10 times a year.
"Everyone was so concerned about preventing us from being this monster nightclub, and in fact the proposal they approved gave us the flexibility to do just that. [Ten times a year] we can have music, we can have dancing, there are no restrictions now," Stella Karamanos said. "[Gonzales' proposal] was much more restrictive. He made us stop live music at midnight, restricted the music to dining patrons only and didn't give us dancing. I would give Mayor Gonzales a lot of credit. He actually listened to the public."
The Glen owners contributed $2,000 to Ron Gonzales' mayoral campaign.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
