^/lcMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
•rom:
Sent:
ro:
iubject:
Jacqueline Browne -•
Monday, June 22, 2026 1:12 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
VM Rivas' Call for review: CUP #7100
Some people who received this message don't often get email from...earn why this is important [I ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you fcnowthe content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button (PAB). For more information about the PAB view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal. 3ood afternoon,
support Vice Mayor Rivas's Call for Review of CUP #7100. This permit was approved on an incomplete record and impacts neighborhood safety and quality of life. It deserves a full review.
Fhankyou,
lackie
06/22/2026
Item 17
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Sent:
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Attachments:
Peterson-More, Nathanial <
Monday, June 22, 2026 2:56 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Support for Vice Mayor Rivas's Call of Review of CUP #7100 CUP7100_Neighborhood_Study_June_2026.pdf
Some people who received this message don't often get email fromam why this is important [ l ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button (PAB). For more information about the PAB view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
My family and I support Vice Mayor Rivas's Call of Review of CUP #7100. This permit was approved on an incomplete record; and the CUP negatively impacts neighborhood safety and quality of Life. It deserves a full review.
We believe the CUP should be cancelled. Pleas refer to the attached neighborhood study.
Thankyou foryourtime and consideration.
All the best,
Nathanial Petersron-More
06/22/2026
Item 17
Neighborhood Study
CUP #7100
ELLI Banquet Hall
Operated as Part of Pinocchio's Multi-Event Complex
The Restaurant | Vintage Banquet Hall ] Patio | ELLI Banquet Hall Pinocchio's Pizza Italian Restaurant quietly converted itself into a multi-space private event business, adding physical event spaces one by one over more than a decade without updating its existing permits, without applying for the required private event permits, and without any meaningful city enforcement.
The result is a four-space private event complex operating at 1449 and 1453 N. Lake Avenue. Three of the four spaces have never held a finalized permit of any kind: no restaurant permit, no event permit, no certificate of occupancy. The fourth holds a public restaurant use only permit that could never authorize the private event use conducted in any of these spaces. The operator first applied for a nightclub liquor license, failed, applied for a public restaurant license twice and withdrew both after protests, and ultimately obtained a beer-and-wine license requiring public restaurant use: while continuing to operate as the private event nightclub the original application described.
Pasadena Municipal Code Section 17.24.030 is unambiguous: a Club, Lodge, and Private Meeting hlall use may not be established unless a Conditional Use Permit is first obtained. ELLI established this use in 2020.
The CUP was filed three years later. The other three spaces have no CUP ever filed. Approving CUP #7100 would retroactively authorize uses the code expressly required a permit for before establishment — while leaving the most active event spaces unpermitted, combined capacity unstudied, parking needs uncalculated, and conditions agreed to known to be unmet.
The consequences are real. Nighttime traffic accidents near the venue have increased fourfold since this operation began. A DUI collision injured two people at the venue corner on a Sunday night. A founded injury collision occurred on the first event weekend following CUP approval, with four concurrent events documented. Over 100 resident complaints were submitted to the City. Enforcement has been acknowledged as a persistent gap.
This document analyzes the public record: permits, code cases, ABC licensing history, building inspections, court filings, and city correspondence that should have been used by the City to study, condition, and enforce this operation. Every fact is sourced to publicly accessible records: city permit portals, state ABC licensing databases, LA County Assessor records, LA Superior Court filings, city code case records, and the Applicant's own published websites and marketing materials. No fact relies on private communications or unverifiable sources. It is submitted to Council District 5 and the Board of Zoning Appeals as a factual basis for denial of CUP #7100 and for enforcement action against the unpermitted spaces at 1449 N. Lake Avenue.
Concerned Neighbors of Normandie Heights | Submitted to Council District 5 / Vice Mayor Jess Rivas [ June 2026
Table of Contents
1. The Pinocchio's / ELLI 4-Space Multi-Event Complex
1.1 The Restaurant: Permitted Restaurant, Unpermitted Event Space
1.2 Vintage Banquet Hall: Unpermitted Private Event Space 1
1.3 Patio: Unpermitted Private Event Space 2
1.4 ELLI Banquet Hall: Unpermitted Private Event Space 4 (CUP Suspended)
2. EXPANSION: A Decade of Unpermitted Growth
3. ELLI: California State ABC Licensing History
4. Enforcement Lapse: Pinocchio's and ELLI
4.1 Pinocchio's; Enforcement History
4.2 ELLI: Enforcement History
5. CUP #7100 Studies: An Unstudied Complex
5.1 Capacity Study
5.2 Parking Study
5.3 Safety: Accidents, Injuries, and Unaddressed Hazards
5.4 Land Use Issues
6. CUP #7100 Staff Reports: What Was Missing
A. Appendix: Timeline of Intent and Key Events
3 4
5 7
8 10
12 13
13 14
15 15
16 17
18 19
20 1. The Pinocchio's / ELLI 4-Space Multi-Event Complex The Applicant operates and books four spaces interchangeably and simultaneously to maximize use across all of them.
Only one space holds any authorization to operate as a bona fide public restaurant. The other three have never been permitted for any use and have never operated as public restaurants. CUP #7100 is not about a restaurant converting to a banquet hall. It is a four-space private event complex with limited public-use licenses and permits it has not honored for at least 7 years.
Space
"The Restaurant" 1449 N.
Lake Ave, North Corner
"Vintage Banquet Hall"
1449 N. Lake Ave, South Corner
"Patio" 1449 N. Lake Ave, Rear
"ELLI Banquet Hall" 1453 N.
Lake Ave
TOTAL
Permit Status
CUP #5227 (restaurant use
only)
NO PERMIT OF ANY KIND
BLD2012-01209 expired 2013
unfinalized
NOPERIV11TOFANYKIND
No building permit identified
NO PERMIT FINALIZED
CUP #7100 suspended. 3 permits
expired.
Authorization Gap
Public dining only. Private events with dancing
and DJs prohibited.
No restaurant permit. No event permit. No CO.
Operating as private events up to 90 guests.
No restaurant permit. No event permit. No CO. Added
Aug 2020. Operating as private events.
No CO. CUP pending/suspended since 2020.
Operating as private events since 2020.
3 of 4 spaces: no permit of any kind. 1 of 4: public
restaurant use only permit. 0 of 4: valid event
authorization.
Figure 1. Four-space event complex: permit status and authorization gap. Capacity figures from Applicant's own website as of June 2026 hearing.
4 Event Spaces: Booked Interchangeably to Maximize Occupancy • Single booking website advertising all four spaces simultaneously since 2020. The Applicant represented to city staff that the scheduling tab had been removed. This was false. All four spaces remain bookable today. (Source: ellibanquet.com and pinocchios-pizza.net, confirmed active June 2026) . Single banquet menu with identical conditions for all four spaces: DJ/Bluetooth service at all four spaces including ELLI; unlimited open bar packages; midnight hours; non-refundable deposits of $300 to $500. . Each event space is booked and operated by the Applicant, in addition to the restaurant operations but operating separately: its own booking, its own deposit. Each space is observed operating after the restaurant closes, independently of restaurant use.
• Yelp reviews confirm the Applicant moved bookings between ELLI Banquet Hall and the Vintage Banquet Hall based on availability, treating two spaces on two separate parcels as interchangeable inventory. (Source: Yelp) • Single booking email: [email protected] appears in building permits, fire inspections, environmental health reports, and city correspondence across both addresses.
Every license and permit held by this operation requires public use. This operation has never once served the public.
1.1 The Restaurant: Permitted Restaurant, Unpermitted Event Space / / /182Q 15+0 0
CUP (CITY) #5227
restaurant only
FIELD
Address
Building Permit
Certificate of Occupancy
CUP (City)
CUP (City) Event Use
Dancing / DJs
Enforcement Action
CERTIFICATE OF ABC (STATE) TYPE
OCCUPANCY 41
2,740 sq ft 2007 #465182 aclive
MAX ASSEMBLY
CAPACITY
CBC formula
EVENT USE
AUTHORIZED
not in CUP #5227
YEARS SINCE CUP COMBINED PARKING FOR
AMENDED CAPACITY STUDY EVENT USE
last updated 2009with other3 spacesnever calculated
STATUS
1449 N. Lake Ave, North Corner
BLD2005-00082 Finaled Oct 2,
2007
YES: restaurant use, 2,740 sq ft
only
CUP #5227: restaurant only.
Approved 2009. Never amended.
1 NONE: not authorized
PROHIBITED by CUP #5227
Warning Notice Jun 17, 2026
(CTP2026-01400)
FIELD
ABC (State) License
ABC (State) Coverage
ABC Type 41
Requirement
Max Assembly Capacity
Event Use Advertised?
Parking for Event Use
CUP (City) Last
Amended
STATUS
#465182 (Type 41) On-Sale Beer
and Wine
Active: covers this space
(original footprint only)
Bona fide public eating place
required by law
182(CBCA-2:2,740sqft-15)
Yes: on banquet website (not
authorized by CUP)
0 spaces allocated
2009: 15+years ago
The Restaurant is the only space in the complex with valid city and state authorization. It operates as a public restaurant and is the legitimate anchor of the operation. However, it is also marketed as a private event space on the Applicant's own banquet website (advertising a capacity of up to 120 guests) with DJ service and open bar packages. CUP #5227 prohibits this use and has never been amended. The June 17, 2026 Warning Notice (CTP2026-01400) confirms dancing and DJs occurring here in violation of CUP #5227. Its maximum assembly capacity of 182 — applying the CBC A-2 occupant load formula (15 sq ft per person) to the 2,740 sq ft finaled 2007 CO, the same method the Applicant used in the ELLI submitted plans — has never been analyzed in combination with the other three spaces. The Applicant advertises 120 on his website for private event use, in addition to the other three spaces.
1.2 Vintage Banquet Hall: Unpermitted Private Event Space 1 7+0 0 90 00 0
YEARS CERTIFICATE OF CUP (CITY) EVENT ADVERTISED VERIFIED LEGAL ABC (STATE) CITATIONS ISSUED PARKING
OPERATING OCCUPANCY USE CAPACITY CAPACITY LICENSE ALLOCATED no CO any use never applied guests (applicant) no CO =no max not on any license 7+years spaces FIELD
Address
Building Permit
Certificate of Occupancy
CUP (City): Restaurant
CUP (City): Event Use
Enforcement Action
STATUS
1449 N. Lake Ave, South Corner
BLD2012-01209 Expired 2013:
NEVER FINALIZED
NONE: no CO for any use
CUP #5227: original footprint
only. Never amended for this
space.
NONE. No CUP covers this
space for any use.
Warning Notice Jun 17, 2026
(CTP2026-01400)
FIELD
ABC (State) License
Pinocchio's Type 41
(#465182)
Advertised Capacity
Verified Legal Capacity
Parking Allocated
Years Operating
Unpermitted
State ABC License
Status
STATUS
NONE applicable to this space
NOT updated to include this
space. Does not apply here.
90 (applicant website)
0: no CO, no valid max
0 spaces
7+ years (Yelp verified)
No application ever made for
this space
The Vintage Banquet Hall is not a private dining room. It is the original private event venue in this complex, the proof of concept that ELLI was built off. It has operated without any permit, any certificate of occupancy, and any state ABC license coverage for at least 7 years. No permit of any kind covers this space. CUP #5227 covers only the original restaurant footprint and does not apply here. Pinocchio's Type 41 ABC license was never updated to include this expansion. The 2013 building permit for this space expired unfinalized with no final inspection and no CO.
CUP #5227 does not cover this space: it is entirely unpermitted. However, if it did apply, the documented activity would constitute violations of it. Dancing and DJs are explicitly prohibited by CUP #5227, as confirmed by the City's own Warning Notice (CTP2026-01400, June 17, 2026), issued for 'Land Use Violation for dancing and DJ at private dining room.' Open bar packages are advertised here with no ABC license authorization for these premises. Events run past midnight with vendor equipment loading after 12:30am confirmed by neighbor video.
1.3 Patio: Unpermitted Private Event Space 2
6+0 0 0 70 0
YEARS BUILDING PERMIT CERTIFICATE OF CUP (CITY) EVENT
OPERATING OCCUPANCY USE
Ly^iSfi^i7^P none identified no CO any use never applied
ADVERTISED
CAPACITY
guests (applicant)
VERIFIED LEGAL
CAPACITY
no permit = no max
ABC (STATE)
LICENSE
not on any license
0 CITATIONS ISSUED
since 2020
FIELD
Address
Building Permit
Certificate of Occupancy
CUP (City): Restaurant
CUP (City): Event Use
Added
Enforcement Action
STATUS
1449 N. Lake Ave, Rear
NONE identified
NONE
CUP #5227: original interior
only. Never amended for patio.
NONE. No CUP covers this
space for any use.
August 2020 during COVID
restaurant restrictions
None specific to Patio
FIELD
ABC (State) License
Pinocchio's Type 41
(#465182)
Advertised Capacity
Verified Legal Capacity
Parking Allocated
Years Operating
Unpermitted
State ABC License
Status
STATUS
NONE applicable to this space
NOT updated to include this
space. Does not apply here.
70 (applicant website)
0: no permit, no CO
0 spaces
6+ years (since Aug 2020)
No application ever made for
this space
The Patio was added in August 2020 while California law prohibited public indoor dining. The Applicant expanded private event capacity when public restaurant operations were legally restricted, advertising it as 'Patio Covid 19.' No building permit has been identified for this addition. No CO. No CUP. No ABC license coverage. Code cases CTP2022-00646 and CTP2022-00862 specifically cite outdoor music at Pinocchio's, the Patio being the only outdoor space. Both were closed with no citation.
1.4 ELLI Banquet Hall: Unpermitted Private Event Space 4 (CUP #7100 Suspended) 6+20 156 200 61 0 0
YEARS WITHOUT
VALID CUP
since 2020
FIELD
Address
Building Permit #1
Building Permit #2
Building Permit #3
YEARS WITHOUT
ABC LICENSE
CUP CAP
(SUSPENDED)
applicant-submitted
BUILDING
PERMITS
2020102022 "Mbl^O
STATUS
1453 N. LakeAve
BLD2019-01584: EXPIRED
BLD2019-01349: EXPIRED
BLD2020-00642: EXPIRED Fire
Safety: NOT PASSED
Certificate of Occupancy NONE
CUP (City) Status
Construction Before
Permits
CUP #7100 SUSPENDED Call for
Review Jun 15, 2026
Oct 1 to 2, 2019 (permits filed
Oct 14/Nov 25)
ADVERTISED PARKING
CAPACITY ALLOCATED
Yelp: 196/website: ELLI only
PARKING OTHER 3
SPACES
never studied
INDEPENDENT
VERIFICATION
of any study
FIELD
ABC (State) License
Operated Without ABC
License
ABC Type 41
Restrictions
CUP (City) Condition 34
Advertised Capacity
CUP (City) Cap
Parking Allocated
STATUS
#609067 (Type 41) Khonarik / the
Applicant
2 years (2020 to 2022)
No dancing. No entertainment.
No amplified music. Cannot
operate as public premises.
Requires Type 47 license (not
yet obtained)
196 (Yelp)/200 (applicant
website)
156 (applicant-submitted, not
independently verified)
61 spaces (ELLI only)
For the full ABC (State) licensing history specific to ELLI, see Section 3.
ELLI Banquet Hall is a purpose-built private event venue. It was built in 2019 to 2020, opened with no CUP, no ABC license, and no finalized building permits, and has operated in continuous zoning violation since then. The Applicant submitted a capacity of 156 to the Hearing Officer while advertising 196 on Yelp and 200 on his own booking website.
The Hearing Officer adopted 156 as the cap — a figure the Applicant simultaneously understated on his own public booking pages. CUP #7100 is currently suspended pending Board of Zoning Appeals review. The Applicant agreed to Condition 34 (requiring a Type 47 ABC license) knowing he had withdrawn two prior Type 47 applications after protests and had not pursued the license for three years. This constitutes bad faith.
2. EXPANSION: A Decade of Unpermitted Growth: From Restaurant to Illegal Event Complex
Pinocchio's has never been part of any CUP process for event use. ELLI did not create this problem. It expanded an operation already years into illegal growth.
-2008/2009: Pinocchio's Pizza permitted at 1449 N. Lake Ave • Restaurant CUP #5227 issued for this location: restaurant use only. Dancing and DJs explicitly prohibited. . Type 41 ABC license (#465182) issued requiring bona fide public eating place. 2012 to 2013: 'Vintage Banquet Hall' expansion: permitted, never finalized . BLD2012-01209: 1,307 sq ft restaurant expansion. Expired without final inspection or CO. (Source: City of Pasadena permit portal, parcel 5848-023-005)
. Only expansion permit in the 20-year building record at this address. 2012 to 2013: 'Vintage Banquet Hall' opens for private events without any event permit . Despite having no valid CO for any use, Vintage Banquet Hall immediately became the most active private event space. Never cited. Never studied.
2019: Pre-marketing ELLI before it exists
. Pinocchio's website advertises 'Elli Booking for 2020' alongside Vintage Banquet Hall and The Restaurant as private event spaces. ELLI does not yet exist. No permit. No license. (Source: Wayback Machine, web.archive.org, November 2019)
2020: 'Patio' added without any permit during COVID restaurant restrictions • Patio added as private event space, advertised as 'Patio Covid 19.' No building permit. No CO update. No CUP amendment.
. Private event capacity expands while public restaurants are legally restricted. 2020: 'ELLI Banquet Hall' opens: built on a proven model By 2020, the Applicant had operated the Vintage Banquet Hall as a private event venue for at least 7 years without a permit, without enforcement, and without any citation. Yelp reviews confirm operations dating back at least 7 years (earliest review: 'over 7 years ago' as of June 2026). The Vintage Banquet Hall was the prototype. ELLI was built in its image: same model, same operator, same methodology. Operate first, permit later, because the first time nobody stopped it.
. ELLIopens as a fourth booking option. No CUP. No ABC license for approximately 2 years. No finalized building permits. Operating in direct zoning violation.
. ELLI is marketed on Pinocchio's website using the same booking email, banquet menu, and operator. 2023: ELLI cross-promotes 'Vintage Banquet Hall' on its website • ELLI's website begins advertising Vintage Banquet Hall as an ELLI booking option, contradicting the 'separate businesses' representation made throughout the CUP process.
A public restaurant quietly added on a multi-space private event complex, space by space, over a decade, violating its restaurant CUP at every step. The Vintage Banquet Hall was the prototype: 7+ years of unpermitted private events, never enforced. ELLI was built in its image. The City was told repeatedly. It never investigated. Then ELLI was added to retroactively legitimize the whole operation.
3. ELLI: California State ABC Licensing History: A Record of Intent ELLI's ABC (State) licensing history documents what this operation was always intended to be: a pattern of seeking progressively easier licenses while operating without any license, then violating each license obtained. 2020 to 2022: ELLI operates with no ABC license (~2 years) . ELLI serves alcohol at private events for approximately two years with no ABC license of any kind: a violation of California Business and Professions Code Section 23300.
January 2022: ELLIType 41 obtained: public use required, private use intended • License #609067 (Type 41). Requires bona fide public eating place. . Restrictions: no dancing, no live entertainment, no amplified music, cannot operate as public premises. . Violated from day one. ELLI has never opened to the public.
Mid-2022: Type 48 nightclub license attempted
. Applies to transfer a Type 48 (nightclub/bar) license from Buchones Bar: the correct license for what ELLI actually operates as.
. Prior holder: criminal ABC violations (PC 347(B), $3,000 fine). Protested August 4, 2022. Fails.
January 2023: Two simultaneous Type 47 applications withdrawn . Type 47 requires bona fide public eating place: public access, 51% food sales, 35+ walk-in seats. . Both applications withdrawn within 4 days after protests. Free to reapply August 2023. Does not do so for nearly 3 years.
June 2026: Type 47 agreed to as CUP Condition 34: bad faith . Condition 34 requires a Type 47 license. The Applicant agreed knowing he had withdrawn two applications after protests and had not pursued the license for three years. This constitutes bad faith. • A Type 47 requires a bona fide public eating place. ELLI is a private event venue. Structurally incompatible.
The ELLI ABC (State) Licensing Pattern
2020-2022: NO License (~2 yrs) — Served alcohol at private events. Violation of CA B&P; Code §23300. ^
Mid-2022: Type 48 Nightclub / Bar attempted — Correct license for actual use. Protested and failed. i
Jan 2023: Two Type 47 applications — Two ABC offices. Both withdrawn within 4 days after protests. Does not reapply for nearly 3 years.
i
Jan 2022: Type 41 fallback (Beer & Wine, Public Eating Place) — Minimum viable cover. Violated from day one:
dancing, DJs, amplified music, private premises.
^
Jun 2026: Type 47 required as CUP Condition 34 — Two prior Type 47s withdrawn after protests, license not pursued for 3 years. Bad faith.
This is not administrative difficulty. It is a documented pattern of seeking progressively easier licenses while operating without any license, then violating each license obtained.
4. Enforcement Lapse: Pinocchio's and ELLI
Both operations share a common thread: years of documented violations, repeated resident complaints, and a City enforcement posture that treated the lack of citations as evidence of good-faith compliance. Neither was ever meaningfully investigated until residents forced the issue through District 5. The result: 7+ years of unpermitted private events at Pinocchio's and 6 years at ELLI, with a combined record of zero citations before 2026.
4.1 Pinocchio's: Enforcement History
Between 2022 and 2026, neighbors submitted complaints about Pinocchio's specifically: its event use, its Vintage Banquet Hall, and its violations of CUP #5227. Pinocchio's was never part of any CUP process. The good-faith justification used for ELLI never applied here. The City repeatedly told residents it would investigate. No investigation was ever opened.
. No investigation ever opened. Despite multiple code cases and written acknowledgment that complaints were received, no formal investigation of Pinocchio's event operations was opened prior to June 2026. . City told residents it would investigate — repeatedly. Neighbors were directed to submit reports as the primary enforcement mechanism. Reports were submitted. Nothing followed. . 4 code cases. Zero citations. 4+ years. CTP2022-00646, CTP2022-00862, CTP2023-01269 all closed with no citation or further investigation.
. First formal action: June 17, 2026 — a Warning Notice only (CTP2026-01400), after direct District 5 inte^ention.
Compliance date July 17, 2026. Website unchanged. All four spaces still bookable. . Circular good-faith argument. The City characterized the Applicant as acting in good faith in part because no citations existed. The City did not cite; therefore no citations exist; therefore the operator is in good faith.
Case #DateWhat Was ReportedOutcome
CTP2022-0064 Jun 2022 I Loud music outdoors
6 CTP2022-0086 Jul 2022 Outdoor music events after 10pm, 4 2 nights/week
CTP2023-0126 Jun 2023 Excessive music late into the night 9 CTP2026-0140 Jun 2026 Event use violating CUP #5227: dancing, 0 DJs
Closed: no citation
Abated: no citation
Closed: no citation
Warning Notice only. Compliance
date: 7/17/2026.
Result: 4 documented cases. Zero citations in 4 years. First formal action: a Warning Notice after direct District 5 intervention.
Figure. Documented code cases at Pinocchio's (1449 N. Lake Ave), 2022-2026.
4.2 ELLI: Enforcement History
. 2020: ELLIopens in direct zoning violation. No CUP. No ABC license. Complaints filed. No response. . January 20, 2023: First and only NOV issued — three years after opening. Cited for unlawful use of 1453 N.Lake Ave without required approvals.
. January 26, 2023: CUP application filed six days later. The NOV was effectively converted into a permit application. Enforcement stopped.
. 2023 to 2026: ELLI continues operating during CUP process. The City permitted continued illegal operation on the basis of 'diligent pursuit' of a permit. No conditions imposed. No citations issued. No independent obsen/ation of actual operations during the multi-year application period. • 18-month enforcement gap acknowledged in writing by the Deputy Director, attributed to a 'training issue.' Not disclosed in the staff report or hearing record.
Over 100 resident complaints submitted. Code Compliance confirmed receipt in writing. No investigation opened in response to any individual complaint.
Zero citations in 6 years of operation. One NOV (January 2023), immediately converted to a CUP application.
CUP #7100 approved June 3, 2026 — retroactively authorizing 6 years of illegal operation. Staff characterized the Applicant as acting in good faith. The enforcement record contradicts this at every point.
5. CUP #7100 Studies: An Unstudied Complex
CUP #7100 was reviewed and approved as if ELLI were a standalone operation. The four sections below document what was studied, what was ignored, and what the cumulative gaps mean for this neighborhood.
5.1 Capacity Study
CUP #7100 studied ELLI in isolation. Pinocchio's three event spaces were never studied for occupancy, combined capacity, or parking. All capacity figures below are from the Applicant's own banquet website. None were independently verified by the City.
Capacity Study: All Four Spaces
Space
"The Restaurant"
"Vintage Banquet
Hall"
"Patio"
Booking
Capacity
Study Capacity | City
(City Review) | Verification
182*
90 70
"ELLI Banquet Hall" 196-200t
TOTAL542
Not studied
Not studied
Not studied
156 (applicant
submitted)
156 (29% of
complex)
None
None
None
None
None
Permit / CO Status
Restaurant CO (2,740 sq ft, 2007)
NO CO: expansion expired 2013
NO PERMIT identified
No CO. CUP #7100 suspended.
3 of 4: no CO or event permit.
Maximum 542 if all spaces at
capacity. 156 studied.
Figure 3. All four spaces; booking capacity vs. study capacity. All booking capacity figures from Applicant's own website or government documents. None independently verified by the City. * The Restaurant: 182 = CBC A-2 formula (2,740 sq ft - 15), the same method the Applicant used in the ELLI submitted plans. The Applicant advertises 120 on his website for private event use, in addition to the other spaces. -[ ELLI: 196 (Yelp)/200 (website) vs. 156 submitted to HO.
What the Numbers Mean:
• CUP #7100 studied 156 guests. If every space operates at maximum capacity simultaneously, this complex holds 542 people. 156 is less than 29% of that total.
. 342 guests across the three Pinocchio's spaces have zero city study, zero independent verification, and zero valid occupancy authorization for event use.
. Vintage Banquet Hall assembly formula (1,307 sq ft divided by 15) yields 87 max occupants: below even the Applicant's own booking capacity of 90.
. On June 5 to 6, 2026, neighbors documented four concurrent events. A founded injury collision occurred that evening (PPD Call: PA 2026-46427).
. Condition 39 acknowledges that concurrent multi-space events are a real problem but addresses only ELLI's scheduling in relation to Pinocchio's. It imposes no cap, no study, and no conditions on the Pinocchio's spaces themselves. This framing is also legally backwards: private events cannot occur at Pinocchio's without a CUP. A scheduling restriction on one space in a four-space complex, with no analysis of the other three, is not a solution. It is an incomplete response to a problem the record never fully examined.
5.2 Parking Study
Event use requires parking regardless of whether a CUP has been obtained. The absence of a CUP does not eliminate parking requirements. For three of the four spaces, parking needs have never been studied, calculated, or enforced. The one study that was conducted was applicant-submitted and used the Applicant's own data throughout. ita
SpaceEvent CUP? | Parking for Event Use? | Allocated
"The Restaurant"
"Vintage Banquet
Hall"
"Patio"
"ELLI Banquet Hall"
TOTAL
No event CUP Yes: never studied
No CO. No CUP. Yes: never studied
No permit. No
CUP.
CUP #7100
(suspended)
Yes: never studied
Yes: 61 spaces allocated
by applicant study
3 of 4 spaces: never
studied
0 0
0 61
61 Min. Est. Need
-71 spaces
-35 spaces
-27 spaces
-61 spaces (applicant est.)
-194 spaces (-133
unstudied)
Figure 4. Parking allocation across the four-space complex. Estimated need calculated using ELLI applicant ratio (61 spaces /156 guests).
Independent study required for all spaces.
. 61 spaces were allocated to ELLI's 156 guests. Applying that ratio to the full complex maximum of 542 would require approximately 212 spaces. Available: 61. Estimated unmet need: ~151 spaces. (Estimate using Applicant's own ratio; independent study required.)
• Not having a CUP does not eliminate parking requirements for event use. Pinocchio's three event spaces have never had their parking needs calculated.
. Vehicle occupancy assumption is applicant-supplied, not independently verified. The applicant's queuing analysis (Kimley-Hom, May 2026) assumed 2.5 guests per vehicle 'based on information provided by the Client.' A standard social event vehicle occupancy of 1.5 persons per vehicle would increase the vehicle count from 47 to approximately 78 for a 156-guest ELLI event (after 25% rideshare deduction) — exceeding the 61 spaces allocated to ELLI alone. Applied to the full complex at maximum capacity (542 guests), 1.5/vehicle would require approximately 271 vehicles — against 61 available spaces. . Valet is being charged contrary to conditions of approval. CUP Condition 34 requires signage stating valet service is available at no charge. Both staff reports state valet 'would be required for guests to use free of charge.' At the June3, 2026 hearing, the Applicant stated he currently charges $16 per car for valet. The Applicant argued against the no-charge requirement, stating it would cost approximately $10,000 per event. This is a documented conflict between current practice and the conditions of approval. . The operation cannot self-monitor compliance with its own conditions. The Applicant manages the valet, operates the venue, and reports his own compliance. No independent monitoring was ever required or conducted.
The 6-month review conditioned at approval does not provide independent verification of day-to-day operations. . Physical improvements required by CUP #7100 conditions have not been made. Parking lot restriping, new lighting, and the relocated entrance vestibule were given a one-year compliance window (Condition 15). CUP #7100 is currently suspended and these improvements have not been built. The City has repeatedly allowed continued illegal operation while conditions remain unmet — a pattern this record shows predates the CUP application itself.
5.3 Safety: Accidents, Injuries, and Unaddressed Hazards Neighborhood safety concerns are documented in city accident records, fire inspection reports, and court filings. None appeared in the staff report or required safety findings.
Traffic and injury data (City of Pasadena accident database):
MetricPre-ELLIPost-ELLI
Nighttime accidents / year0.170.67
Change
4x increase
People injured / year 2.3 3.7 +57%
Figure 6. Pre/post-ELLI summary. Source: City of Pasadena public accident database, within one block of 1453 N. Lake Ave., 2008 to 2025.
Annual Accident Trend Since ELLI Opened (2020):
YearTotal
Accidents
People
Injured
Nighttime
AccidentsNotable
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
3 3
3 3
5 4
2 4
1 1
4 6
1 1
1 0
0 1
ELLIopens
Pedestrian struck at night
Severe injury (Dec)
Severe injury (Feb). DUI at venue corner (Nov):
2 injured.
Figure 7. Year-by-year accident data 2017 to 2025. DUI: November 16, 2025, Sunday night. Lake Ave / Rio Grande St (venue corner): 2 people injured (broadside collision). Source: City of Pasadena accident database. 2026: Founded Injury Collision on First Event Weekend After CUP Approval 2026 data is not yet available; however, on June 6, 2026, PPD confirmed another founded injury traffic collision at N.
Lake Ave. and Rio Grande St. (Call: PA 2026-46427). Neighbors documented four concurrent events that evening.
Full report is confidential and not reflected above.
Fire inspection findings: omitted from staff report
. June 2024: Fire inspects ELLI as Assembly use, two years before CUP approved to 'change use from restaurant to banquet hall.' Violations include a blocked rear exit at an assembly venue. • July 2025: Fire citation at Pinocchio's: first documented citation at either address from any city department in five years.
. Current: Both addresses have outstanding certification failures: hood suppression, kitchen exhaust, and emergency lighting/exit signs past due.
. None appeared in the staff report or required Finding #3 analysis. 2023 Customer Legal Action: Omitted from Staff Report
In July 2023, a paying customer filed suit against Pinocchio's Pizza IR Inc., the Applicant, and Khonarik Gharehbagloo personally (Aglibot v. Pinocchio's, 23AHCV01659, LA Superior Court). Alleged willful failure to warn of a dangerous condition. Settled with prejudice April 2025. Not disclosed to the Hearing Officer. The required Finding #3 was made without this information.
5.4 Land Use Issues
Residential parcels absorbed without analysis: documented expansion pattern The Applicant has assembled a contiguous block of properties through a documented pattern of acquisition and conversion: a beauty salon purchased and demolished for parking, a residential triplex purchased and absorbed into the commercial parcel to satisfy CUP parking requirements. All three consolidated parcels are zoned CL-SP-1b (Commercial Limited). The residential use at 874 Ladera is a non-conforming residential use on commercially-zoned land.
. 1467 N. Lake Ave (APN 5848-023-002): Contained a 421 sq ft beauty salon. CUP #7100 plans label it 'EXISTING BUILDING #2 (BEAUTY SALON TO REMOVE).' Demolished as part of this CUP to create parking. Purchased, demolished, converted.
• 874 E. Ladera St. (APN 5848-023-003): Two-story triplex, 3 residential units, currently occupied. Purchased in May 2023 for $1,150,000 during the active CUP process. The Applicant purchased this property to satisfy CUP parking requirements. Its lot is now shared with the event complex valet operation. • Based on the documented pattern of this operation, approving commercial zoning consolidation for a residential building creates material risk that residential units will be demolished and replaced with additional event space or parking as this operation continues to expand.
. The Pinocchio's parcel (APN 5848-023-005) also contains residential units at 865 and 867 E. Rio Grande St.: never addressed in any CUP analysis. A January 2012 building permit (BMN2012-00354) for roofing at 867 Rio Grande lists the owners as Alina Gharehbagloo and Khonarik Gharehbagloo at 1449 N. Lake Ave. The same family that operates the event complex owns the residential units on that parcel. Tenants are renting from their landlord's own event business. They have no independent voice, and the City's assumption that residential tenants would report violations does not hold here.
Lot line adjustment not recorded: conditions unenforceable • CUP Condition 10 requires a lot line adjustment recorded with the LA County Recorder before building permits can be issued.
. As of June 2026, LA County Assessor confirms all three parcels remain legally separate. Consolidation not recorded.
• Conditions depending on the consolidated parcel (7-footwall, Condition 20, and residential parking, Condition 19) are legally incoherent until recording.
. The building permit for the 432 sq ft vestibule addition cannot legally be issued.
The fence, the missing buffer, and a new residential neighbor:
• A fence previously separated the parking lot from the residential triplex at 874 E. Ladera St. The Applicant confirmed at the June 3, 2026 hearing that it was removed when he purchased the property in 2023. • Currently: no physical separation between the event complex parking lot and the three residential tenants at 874 E.
Ladera. Condition 20 requires a 7-foot block wall. It has not been built. Condition 10 (lot line adjustment recorded with LA County Recorder) must be completed first, and as of June 2026 the three parcels remain legally separate. . The vacant lot immediately west of the triplex at 860 E. Ladera St. (APN 5848-023-006) was purchased by Balian Investments LLC in April 2024 for approximately $600,000. The new owner has filed MCUP 7231 (March 2025) to build a single-family home on that parcel. A new residential family is in the process of moving in immediately adjacent to the event complex parking lot with no buffer wall built and no buffer wall legally constructible yet. • The Hearing Officer approved CUP #7100 relying on Condition 20 as the residential mitigation. That condition cannot currently be enforced. The residential population it was designed to protect is growing, not shrinking. 1449 N. Lake Ave: Residential Units Never Studied or Protected The Pinocchio's parcel (APN 5848-023-005) contains residential units at 865 and 867 E. Rio Grande St. on the same parcel as the restaurant and all three event spaces. The Patio — an outdoor private event space operating until midnight — is on the rear of this parcel, directly adjacent to those residential units. No buffer was required. No residential impact was analyzed. No conditions were imposed. Pinocchio's was never part of any CUP process, so its residential tenants received no protection of any kind.
. CUP #7100 imposed Condition 20 (7-foot block wall) as residential mitigation on the ELLI side. That condition has not been built and cannot be built yet. The residents of the Pinocchio's parcel received no equivalent condition and no analysis.
• The Patio was added in 2020 without any permit, CO, CUP, or residential impact review. It has operated as an outdoor event space since then, sharing a parcel with residential tenants who have never been acknowledged in any city review of this operation.
. The residents on the Pinocchio's parcel have less formal protection than those on the ELLI parcel — and the ELLI parcel residents currently have none.
Mills Act / Historic Landmark at 1449:
. 1449 N. Lake Ave. is a designated City of Pasadena historic landmark (Wood's Building, 1925) with an active Mills Act contract. The Applicant receives an annual property tax reduction and is fully aware of this status. . CUP #7100 approved new construction directly adjacent to this Mills Act property. Staff evaluated 1453 for landmark eligibility but did not address the impact on the already-designated adjacent property at 1449.
6. CUP #7100 Staff Reports: What Was Missing
The omissions documented below are not allegations. Each is verifiable from the same publicly accessible records that were available to City staff during the application period: permit portals, ABC licensing databases, county assessor records, court filings, and the Applicant's own websites. The question is not whether this information existed. It did. The question is why it was not in the record.
The City permitted ELLI to continue operating without a CUP while 'diligently pursuing' the permit, treating the application period as a trial run requiring an affirmative obligation to observe, document, and independently verify what was happening. It did not. The City's characterization of the Applicant as acting in good faith is contradicted by this record.
. The PMC is unambiguous: this use cannot be established without a CUP first obtained. PMC Section
17.24.030 states a Club, Lodge, and Private Meeting Hall use 'may not be established unless a Conditional Use Permit is first obtained' (PMC §17.24.030). This language appears verbatim on page 5 of both staff reports. ELLI established this use in 2020 and filed a CUP three years later. The Vintage Banquet Hall, Patio, and Restaurant event use have no CUP ever filed. The BZA is being asked to retroactively authorize uses the code requires a permit for before establishment. The appropriate remedy is denial and cessation of the illegal use at all four spaces.
The operator may continue restaurant operations under CUP #5227. Private events should cease at all four spaces. . Pinocchio's was never studied. Three connected event spaces received no analysis despite being central to the operation.
• Vintage Banquet Hall has no CO. The 20-year permit record at 1449 contains only one expansion permit (BLD2012-01209, 2013, expired unfinalized). This building is the Vintage Banquet Hall. No CO was ever issued. • ELLI's construction started before permits were filed. Two complaints about unpermitted construction were filed October 1 to 2, 2019 (CTP2019-01740, CTP2019-01757). Building permits not filed until October 14 and November 25,2019.
. ELLI's three building permits all expired unfinalized. Interior demo, tenant improvement, and kitchen legalization all expired without final inspection or CO. Kitchen failed fire safety review. • Combined capacity was never studied. The complex holds a maximum of 542 if all four spaces operate simultaneously at capacity. No verified maximum was ever calculated. Simultaneous event impact never analyzed. • Parking for Pinocchio's event use was never calculated. 61 spaces for ELLI, zero for Pinocchio's three event spaces. Event use requires parking regardless of CUP status. . The booking site claim was false: accepted without verification. Staff reported the scheduling tab was removed. It was not.
• All studies were applicant-submitted and unverified. No independent observation conducted during the multi-year application period.
• Fire inspection history was omitted. Assembly-use classification since 2024, blocked exit violations, Pinocchio's citation, and current certification failures were not in the staff report. . Accident and injury data was omitted. Traffic safety record and the June 6 founded injury collision did not appear in the analysis.
• The Aglibot lawsuit was not disclosed. Prior premises liability litigation, willful failure to warn, settled with prejudice: not in findings.
• The 18-month enforcement lapse was omitted. The Deputy Director's written acknowledgment of the enforcement gap was not in the complaint timeline.
. ABC licensing history absent from the record. The Applicant's full ABC licensing history: two years without any license, a failed nightclub license attempt, two withdrawn public restaurant license applications after protests, and a beer-and-wine license violated from day one, was not in the staff report. Flagged by residents before the hearing.
Not addressed.
. ELLI operated without any ABC license for approximately 2 years (2020 to January 2022). Not addressed in the findings.
. Residential impact was not analyzed. Absorption of residential parcels into a commercial event complex was not independently studied.
Appendix: Timeline of Intent and Key Events
Each entry sourced from public records. Confirms a pattern of operating as a private event complex while holding public-use licenses, and of the City failing to study or enforce the operation as it grew.
Pre-2012: Pinocchio's established as public restaurant
Type 41 ABC license (#465182) requires bona fide public eating place. CUP #5227: restaurant use only, dancing and DJs prohibited. These conditions will be violated for years with zero enforcement.
Jan 2012: Family ownership of 867 Rio Grande duplex confirmed BMN2012-00354: roofing permit at 867 E. Rio Grande St. (APN 5848-023-005) lists Alina Gharehbagloo and Khonarik Gharehbagloo as owners at 1449 N. Lake Ave. Same family owns residential units on the Pinocchio's commercial parcel. 2012 to 2013: Vintage Banquet Hall Permit: Never Finalized BLD2012-01209: 1,307 sq ft restaurant expansion. Only expansion permit in 20-year record. Expired without final inspection or CO. Immediately becomes primary private event space.
Oct 1 to 2, 2019: Unpermitted Construction Complaints Before Permits Filed CTP2019-01740 and CTP2019-01757: two complaints about ongoing construction without permits at 1453. Building permits not applied for until October 14 and November 25, 2019.
Nov 2019: Pre-Marketing ELLI Before It Exists
Pinocchio's website advertises 'Elli Booking for 2020' alongside Vintage Banquet Hall and The Restaurant. No permit. No license. (Source: Wayback Machine, web.archive.org, November 2019) 2020: ELLI Opens: No CUP, No License, No Permits
Operates in direct zoning violation. Serves alcohol with no ABC license. Complaints begin immediately.
Aug 2020: Patio Added Without Permit During COVID
No building permit. No CO update. No CUP amendment. Advertised as 'Patio Covid 19.' Intent unambiguous.
Nov 2021: ELLI Website Launches as 'ELLI BANQUET and CATERING' Schedule a Tour. Plans and Pricing. No public menu. No hours. No ABC license yet.
Jan 2022: Type 41 Obtained: Public Use Required, Private Use Intended License #609067. Requires public eating place. Restrictions: no dancing, no entertainment, no amplified music, cannot operate as public premises. Violated from day one.
Mid-2022: Type 48 Nightclub License Attempted
Transfer from Buchones Bar (prior owner: criminal ABC violations). Correct license for actual use. Protested August 2022.
Fails.
Aug 7, 2022: Premises Liability Injury at Pinocchio's (Aglibot) Paying customer injured. Willful failure to warn alleged. The Applicant and Khonarik Gharehbagloo named personally.
Settled April 2025. Never disclosed to Hearing Officer.
Oct 2022: CUP Hour Expansion Attempt: Withdrawn
ZENT2022-00136: attempt to expand hours to 1am. Withdrawn concurrent with Type 48 and Type 47 failures. Same pattern.
Jan 20, 2023: First NOV at ELLI
City issues notice of violation for unlawful use of 1453 without required approvals.
Jan 26, 2023: CUP Application Filed: Six Days After NOV Seeks to legitimize operations begun in 2020. Describes 'changing use from restaurant to banquet hall': ELLI was never a restaurant. Filed six days after the January 20, 2023 Notice of Violation.
Aug 7, 2022: Premises Liability Injury at Pinocchio's (Aglibot) Paying customer injured. Willful failure to warn alleged. Armen and Khonarik named personally. Settled April 2025. Never disclosed to Hearing Officer.
Oct 2022: CUP Hour Expansion Attempt: Withdrawn
ZENT2022-00136: attempt to expand hours to 1am. Withdrawn concurrent with Type 48 and Type 47 failures. Same pattern.
Jan 2023: Two Type 47 Applications Withdrawn Simultaneously Both withdrawn within 4 days after protests. Free to reapply August 2023. Does not do so for nearly 3 years.
May 2023: Triplex Purchased During Active CUP Process
874 E. Ladera St. (3 residential units) acquired for $1,150,000. Purchased to satisfy CUP parking requirements. Residents now share parking lot with event complex.
2023: ELLI Cross-Markets Vintage Banquet Hall
ELLI website advertises Vintage Banquet Hall as an ELLI booking option, contradicting the 'separate businesses' representation throughout the CUP process. The Pinocchio's website has promoted all four event spaces from 2019 until now.
Apr 2024: Adjacent Vacant Lot Sold to Third Party (860 E. Ladera) APN 5848-023-006 (5,950 sq ft) purchased by Balian Investments LLC for $600,000. New owner files MCUP 7231 (March 2025) to build single-family home. A new residential family will move in adjacent to the event complex parking lot with no buffer wall built and Condition 20 still unenforceable.
Jun 2024: Fire Inspects ELLI as Assembly Use: Blocked Exit Assembly classification 2+ years before CUP approved to 'change use.' Blocked rear exit at assembly venue. Omitted from staff report.
Apr 2025: Aglibot Case Settled With Prejudice
Paid to permanently resolve. Months before CUP approval. Not in staff report.
Jul 2025: First Citation: Fire Dept at Pinocchio's
Only citation across 5+ years from any city department.
Nov 2025: DUI Collision at Venue Corner: Sunday Night
Lake Ave / Rio Grande St. Two people injured. Broadside collision.
Jan 2026: Type 47 Agreed to as CUP Condition: Bad Faith Condition 34 requires Type 47. Same license withdrawn twice after protests, not pursued for 3 years. Agreed to knowing it would not be met.
Jun 3, 2026: CUP #7100 Approved on Incomplete Record
Omits: fire history, accident data, enforcement lapse, Aglibot lawsuit, Vintage Banquet Hall CO status, combined capacity and parking analysis, booking site misrepresentation, ELLI's unfinalized building permits, 2-year unlicensed operation.
Jun 5 to 6, 2026: Four Concurrent Events / Founded Injury Collision First HO review weekend. PPD Call: PA 2026-46427. City opens no case.
Jun 13, 2026: First Code Case at Pinocchio's
CTP2026-01400. After years of reports and direct Council office intervention.
Jun 15, 2026: Call for Review Filed by District 5
CUP #7100 effective date suspended. De novo BZA review pending.
Jun 17, 2026: Warning Notice Issued at Pinocchio's
Cease dancing, DJs, amplified entertainment. Comply with CUP #5227. Compliance date July 17, 2026. Website not updated as of this document.
Jun 2026: Lot Line Adjustment Not Recorded
LA County Assessor: three parcels legally separate. 7-ft wall not built. Key conditions unenforceable.
Sources; City of Pasadena permit portal, LA County Assessor, LA Superior Court public records (lacourt.ca.gov), ABC (State) license lookup (abc.ca.gov), Wayback Machine (web.archive.org), City staff reports and hearing records, Fire Department CPRA response (#44700), PPD CAD records, Environmental Health inspection reports, City-issued CUP conditions and correspondence. All capacity figures from Applicant's own website (pinocchios-pizza.neVbanquet-room) as of June 2026 hearing.
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Chiara Nano <
Monday, June 22, 2026 3:19 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Support for Vice Major Rivas Call for Review of CUP #7100 Some people who received this message don't often get email fromLearn why this is important [ l ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button (PAB). For more information about the PAB view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
Dear City Council,
I am very sad to hear that the ELLI Banquet Hall Cup was approved. I look forward to seeing the full review of the case, since that kind of business doesn't fit at all with our residential neighborhood. Moreover the owner of ELli, Armen, approached me at my residence on Ladera Street and inappropriately solicited my approval for the CUP and deliberately misrepresented to me the nature and the detail of the CUP. My family and I strongly disapprove the CUP and thinkthat it should be cancelled.
Sincerely,
Chiara Nano
06/22/2026
Item 17
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Rose Malmberg <
Monday, June 22, 2026 3:54 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
I support Vice Mayor Rivas' call for review of CUP 7100 [ I ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button (PAB). For more information about the PAB view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal. hlere are some of the reasons that I support the call for review.
The business, Elli, has not operated as a bona fide restaurant since it opened in or around 2020, The owner/operator/manager has run it as an event location from the beginning. He has operated in bad faith with the city since it opened.
On page 5 of the Staff Report June 3, 2026 - page 5, second paragraph, " In the CL-SP-1 b zoning district and pursuant to Zoning Code Section 17.24.030(commercialand Industrial District Land Uses and Permit Requirements), a Club, Lodge, and Private Meeting Hall use may not be established unless a Conditional Use Permit is first obtained, in compliance with Zoning Code Section 17.61.050 (Conditional Use Permits and Master Plans). Armen Gharehbagloo did NOT first obtain the CUP. hie first operated an event space. Second, he was issued a notice of violation on Jan 20, 2023 and onlythen, six days Later, on 6Jan 6, 2023 did he submit applications. This is absurd. So, while continuing to operate without a CUP, it seems as though all the violations and infractions go unenforced. And now, he was given an approval.... when nothing has improved in our neighborhood. More residents then ever are complaining, but somehow, it is not recorded.
I specifically oppose the certificate of exception 449 to consolidate the three parcels. The apartment building should not be converted into a commercial site simply so that they can get 5 extra parking spaces and a turn around area for valet. The event Location and the property next to it need much, much more parking than is being addressed inCUPb7100. Consolidating the residential building does not adequately address the parking issue.
The parking issues have not changed. The patrons still park on Ladera, Rio Grande and Hudson. Regardless of what the staff report says, or the letter from the Hearing Officer, still patrons are parking in the residential streets making it unsafe for residents to walk/drive to or from their homes. The unpermitted street signs that the owner places on the sidewalk does not deter the patrons from parking on the side streets. This is especially true of the patrons who "pre-game" the event by drinking in their cars before going to the event. They cannot do that if they valet park. These same patrons then throw their bottles on the parkway. Many photos of alcoholic trash have been sent in to the Citizen service center, Planning (Katherine Moran) and even code enforcement (Javier Marquez). But for some reason, none of those are mentioned in the public comment for the Hearing Officer, none of them is present or mentioned as part of the Project Description.
Back to the apartment building, it abuts the parking tot of one of the commercial parcels. How can the noise of the parking cars and valet be safe for them? If this lot is sold, what will happen? This Lot was the most recent purchase of this family. The residents have weird parking in a driveway instead of parking in the lot that was part of the property. There is no guarantee, that the owner of Elli will not remove the "bumpers" and use the driveway for his purposes. Up until now, he continues to operate as he wants and has yet to start following the recommendations set forth in the CUP. He is thumbing his nose at the city. 06/22/2026
Item 17
The property adjacent to the apartment building is a vacant lot that is slotted to have a house moved there from Chester st (I think). Anyway, a fence had to be erected around the property to protect it from the unsafe use by the owner of Elli. His valet attendants were parking cars in the grass of the vacant lot.
Oddly, the city thinks that a minimum 7 foot wall will mitigate the sound from Elli for this property and the rest of the neighborhood. This is odd, as that wall leaves the apartment building to take the brunt of the sound from the extended hours of operation. The 7 foot wall should be to the EAST of the apartment buildingwhere there was a wooden fence at one time. Thereby creating the buffer for the noise from those residents closest to the parking.
On page 4 of the CUP Staff Report June 3, 2026, there is a one line item that reads, "Since the Hearing Officer meeting on December 20, 2023, the applicant sought to make operational changes and address public comments raised." This is just not true or we wouldn't be here now. The fact of the matter is, there is more opposition now then there was at the December 2023 Hearing! He has NOT adequately addressed the issues that his business forces on the residents. One sentence is used to wipe away 6 years of unpermitted use of a business.
Same page, it says, On January 21,2026, the request was heard at a second publicly noticed hearing before a Hearing Officer. During the 14-day public notice period prior to the hearing, staff received 10 public comments, of which, fourwere in support, while six were in opposition. During the hlearing Officer meeting, additional opposition was provided by 1 1 members of the public and six members speaking in support." I sent in 35+ emails between the second hearing and the third hearing. All of the with photos of violations. NOT one of them was present, that I could find, in the public comments. Why is that? I may be only one person, but If I happen to document and submita variety of problems and violations over the course of 2 1/2 years, I would hope that I would see those same photos of limousines blocking driveways and fire hydrants, party vans doing 3- point turns into traffic on Lake Ave. the traffic issues are constant and chronic since Elli began operating, this is especially true as large numbers of patrons show up at one time and then leave at one time. This is not the same for a restaurant. I would Love to have Big Mama's back! Analysis section states
The purpose of the CL zoning district is to provide sites for businesses serw'ng the da/fy needs of nearby residential areas while establishing development standards that prevent significant adverse effects on residential uses..."
This business does NOT serve the daily needs of nearby residential areas. It is not a restaurant. It has never operated as a restaurant. The intended use for this space was for a nightclub. The ownerwas denied a liquor License (48) for this Location. The owner uses a liquor license 41 which is specifically for a bona fide restaurant open to the public. This business is not open to the public and does NOT serve our daily needs.
It goes on to say, "This subdistrict encourages development that contributes to the pedestrian character of the street." In no way, does Elli banquet hall contribute to the pedestrian character of the street. The loitering crowds blocking the sidewalk make it hard to pass by while walking a dog for an evening stroll. In one instance, a security guard told me that someone had to cross the street because of my dogs! Really? I provided that information to Jess Rivas as part of this. This business does NOT serve my daily needs and it does not contribute to the pedestrian character of the street. However, that information was written down as a way to get this CUP approved. The bad faith which characterizes this entire process should force a DENIAL for the CUP, On page 5 it says, " Residential zones and uses are primarily west of the site." This is a bit of an understatement. Lake Avenue is the commercial xone, but all around it is residential. Any resident driving south on Lake, let's say from Atchison or Fiske would need to pass by Elti. All residents are in jeopardy of the increased traffic due to Elli. It is not just those within 500 feet of the proposed project. It is unsafe. Please pull the accident history from the PD.
Further down on page 5 it says,",the operator has expressed that the tenant space may continue to operate as a restaurant open to the public. Amplified music, live music, and/or dancing would only occur when there is a private event. This is just hogwash. Truly another sign of bad faith. It has never operated as a restaurant, therefore, it cannot "continue to operate as a restaurant." This just provides him with a Loophole for the next problem, the liquor License....
Same page, next paragraph," Pursuant to Zoning Code Section 17.24.030, accessory alcohol sales require the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The applicant proposes a Type 47 (On-Sale General for Bona Fide Public Eating Place) Alcohol Beverage Control License (ABC) in conjunction with the operation of the banquet facility. The provision of full alcohol (beer, wine, and distilled spirits) would be for on-site sale and consumption only, and accessory to food sales." As stated above he has operated illegally with a 41 liquor License all this time. The space is NOT a Bona Fide Public Eating Place!!!!! Therefore, a 47 liquor license is not the right license. He would need a 48, which he has already been denied. Therefore, please deny this CUP 7100.
On Page 6, there is a bunch of parking issues. The city needs to do the study, not rely on what the operator gives them. Does the floor plan actually require 35 spaces? Why does the city say it only need 23? What is the other square footage used for? Private, private events? The parking lot adjacent to Elli is actually part of Amigas Beauty. I believe there are only 16 spaces there. Only when the city allows the residential apartment building at 874 Ladera.to be made part of the equation are there barely 22 spaces. To detrimentally affect our neighborhood and those who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire... it is just too much.
The valet stand was never 100 feet back from Lake Ave. It is always at the sidewalk. Even this past weekend. page 6 toward the bottom, it says," All valet parking would be available at no additional cost to patrons of events. The valet kiosk is proposed at the rear of the on-site parking lot and is setback a minimum of 100 feet back from North Lake Avenue, as recommended by the Department of Transportation" The operator charges $16/car. We were told that it is unenforceable. Well, if he will not make it available at no charge, the solution is to shut down the event location.
now to the document that was submitted to you, on page 4 there is Attachment A. 2. "The zoning district is to provide sites for businesses serving the daily needs of nearby residential areas...." The approval of CUP 7100 will demolish Amigas Beauty. This business does, in fact, sere the daily needs of nearby residential areas. To demolish it would be a tragedy to a woman who has operated and given back to the community for 25+ years. Not one mention of this business being demolished is mentioned as a detriment to our residential area.
Somehow the vestibule will "maintain the entry on the street, which will continue to promote pedestrian activity as intended." As mentioned above, this will do no such thing. Throngs of people blocking the sidewalk has been recorded regularlywith photographs and given to Katherine Moran. No mention of this...
Listen, a restaurant like Big Mama's employed local people. Any restaurant can do that. We don't need another banquet hall to employ local people. Amigas also employs local people and services the residential area.
The sound equipment get to be "self-monitored" by the operator. That just isn't good enough.
There is not enough parking provided by the operator to reduce the intrusion into the adjacent residential zoning district. Furthermore, the parking restrictions are for normal businesses that operate 9-6. With the extended hours, the parking restrictions need to be modified. That was never done nor was it addressed by staff.
5. The use, as described and conditionally approved, would not be detrimental or injurious to property and improvement in the neighborhood or the general welfare of the city.
The car accidents have proven that the operation can be injurious to people and property.
Where will the installation of the refuse storage go? That is not actually mentioned. Will it need to take up parking spaces next to Amigas? Or be placed near the apartment building at 874 Ladera? No matter how fee the valet service is, some people just will not use it. Those patrons who like to "pre- game" or post game will be in our neighborhoods. This is detrimental to our property values.
Additional conditions of approval requiring doors to be closed at all times. The doors facing Lake Avenue were documented in Photographs and video to be open. There is no enforcement while this is ongoing.... so, the CUP should be denied.
6. Talks of the aesthetic values. The unpermitted cabinet signage is not aesthetically pleasing to many of us. To date, it has not been fixed, changed or even just turned off. Turn it off. In 2 1/2 years, it has been a constant eyesore.
7. The proposed location of the site for the CUP would not adversely affect the general welfare of the surrounding property owners. Our general welfare has been adversely affected. Residents are tired of dealing with the traffic. Residents who are tired may wind up with some mental health issues based on the fact that the City has not done a good job at all since the December 2023 hearing. We have not been heard. Our complaints have not been logged. Many of them lost. This is just inexcusable and leads to the frustration of the residents. This absolutely has adversely affected me.
Further on, alcohol use will be ancillary to the primary use. How will the City enforce this? Are you going to let him "self report' to the City that everything is okay? When will his book have to be opened to someone? 8, The proposed location of the site for the CUP would not result in an undesirable concentration of premises for the sale of alcoholic beverages...
This is NOT true. Pinocchios is adjacent and sells alcohol, the Liquor store across the stree and south of Rio Grande sells alcohol and Food 4 Less sells alcohol. There is a concentration. Just because someone drew a tine between Pinocchiols and Elti doesn't mean the concentration is not there.
9. Yes, there are schools and churches (open on Saturday) that are in the area. And CUP 7100 would detrimentally affect the surrounding area. Children walk to school. They need to sleep at night...Sunday night is a school night and we don't need this in our neighborhood.
10.The banquet hall is not compatible with our residential area. It does aggravate proposed problems. Its the issue of the "pre game' drinking. - Loitering (photos have been taken) public drunkenness is seen by the vomit on the ground on the mornings after events.
There are more issues, but I think that is enough. I need some mental health time now.
Rose Malmberg
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Bradford Tesar <
Monday, June 22, 2026 4:00 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
CUP7100 Call For Review Support
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We support Vice Mayor Rivas's Call for Review of CUP #7100 This permit was approved on an incomplete record and impacts neighborhood safety and quality of life. It deserves a full review.
Brad
06/22/2026
Item 17