GRAY ENTERPRISES, LP
2200 Harbor Blvd., Suite 8-170 • Costa Mesa, CA92627
May 5, 2023
TO: The Costa Mesa Planning Commission
RE: Northgate Market Public Hearing
Tel (949) 722-0143 • Fax (949) 722-7394
I represent the Owners of Gray Plaza, located at 2200 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa and we just received the Official Public Notice regarding the above.
We have great concerns about the outside dining area, the outside live entertainment and the serving of alcoholic beverages in such close proximity to our center. We are concerned about the possibility of increased litter, noise and the lack of supervision of customers who may eat and drink both inside and outside of the established seating area.
We are also concerned about their customers using our parking lot to park and then cross the street to patronize that center. When Albertson's was operating, the parking lot in front of their store was busy and pretty full. With Northgate combining a grocery store with a restaurant and the City allows a reduction in the number of parking spaces they should have for these two uses, our parking lot will most certainly be impacted by their overflow of customers. This situation already exists with the Newport Rib Company Restaurant whose customers frequently use our parking lot, reducing available parking for our Tenant's employees and customers.
Our Security Guards and Janitorial Staff already have their hands full dealing with vagrants, drunks, drug addicts, noise complaints, litter and people who leave their car here all day to work somewhere else.
Allowing an outside area to serve alcohol could encourage more of the same. Over the years, we have had to increase the amount of security, janitor services and recently added several security gates on this property in the amount of $50,000.00+ to deal with these problems, all paid for by Ownership and the Tenants. We do not want increased problems and more expenses. We get very little support from the police department when we have had to call for their assistance in dealing with these issues. Many times, the police do not respond at all, or show up so late that our guards have already had to handle a potentially dangerous situation by themselves. And, when the police do arrive during a situation, the security guard reports that sometimes the police do not support their position in protecting our private property.
When Northgate was considering moving into our shopping center years ago, we visited several of their stores and not one of the stores we visited had an outside eating area that served alcohol with entertainment. Instead, they had a few tables inside their markets located near their deli and salsa bar and they did not serve alcohol. Managing a large supermarket and a restaurant serving alcohol are two very different types of businesses requiring experience and enough personnel to help ensure their businesses do not affect the public or neighboring private properties. Monitoring, reporting and dealing with the potential negatives these use requests might bring have become the responsibility of surrounding private property owners using their own resources with not much help or response from City officials regarding our complaints.
We strongly disagree with the City allowing Northgate Market to have a reduction in parking requirements and an outdoor restaurant with live entertainment where they are allowed to serve alcohol.
Thank you for the opportunity to make our objections known.
Sincerely,
GRAY ENTERPRISES LP
� General Partner
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