San Clemente City Staff Still Saying Yes to Rooftop Bar

Originally posted at 1:06 p.m. Nov. 4, 2013.

San Clemente city staff is still recommending the City Council approve a controversial rooftop restaurant for North Beach but have some tweaks in mind after taking a closer look at noise and parking impacts.

“Modifications, amendments and new conditions of approval are proposed in order to address issues that have been raised by the public, the Planning Commission and the City Council,” says a staff report to councilmembers.

Dave Gutierrez wants to open the North Beach Rooftop Grill and Bar at 1509 N. El Camino Real a historic building built in 1948. In August, the San Clemente Planning Commission rejected the plans.

The City Council first considered the project Oct. 1, but after many residents complained about potential noise and lack of parking, the matter was delayed a month. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. 

Here’s how staff is recommending the restaurant proposal change to address the noise concerns:

• The rooftop portion would close by 9 p.m.
• The courtyard patio would close by 10 p.m.
• The front patio would close by 11 p.m.
• No live entertainment would be allowed on the rooftop

Live entertainment would be allowed indoors until midnight with the standard provisions that the windows be closed

As for parking, staff recommends that seating be limited to 35 seats indoors, and 34 seats outdoors. This will allow Gutierrez to take advantage of the 35 seats he has a right to serve without additional parking and a 10-parking space waiver to encourage new business in North Beach.

At the Oct. 1 council meeting, Gutierrez said he needed 200 seats to make financial sense.

Staff is recommending that the restaurateur construct physical barriers to ensure the space doesn’t end up with more seating than allowed. As more off-site parking spaces are secured – through agreements staff will review – more seats can be added.

The City Council meets 6 p.m. Tuesday at the San Clemente Civic Center, 100 Avenida Presidio. Also at the meeting, the council is expected to retroactively approve the replacement of two intersections’ worth of in-ground crosswalk lights and meet Camp Pendleton’s new commander, Brig Gen. John W. Bullard, Jr.

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