Thousand Oaks : City Considering Nightspot Ordinance

Concerned that certain restaurants turn into rowdy nightclubs after 10 p.m., the Thousand Oaks City Council has asked its planning staff to draft an ordinance regulating such hot spots.

“It’s not my intent to drive them out of business, but if they’re creating a burden on our law enforcement capabilities, they need to be regulated in a separate manner,” Mayor Judy Lazar said.

Council members specifically targeted two popular after-dark hangouts in Thousand Oaks: Sergio’s Cantina on Thousand Oaks Boulevard and the Red Onion on Hillcrest Avenue. Both hold retail licenses for “general eating places” and are permitted to sell alcohol.

Since Jan. 1, 1991, the Police Department has received 47 disturbance-related calls about Sergio’s Cantina and 50 about the Red Onion, Cmdr. William Wade told the City Council at Tuesday’s meeting. In many cases, employees of the restaurants called the police themselves when altercations were brewing on the premises or in the parking lot, he said.

“We are concerned,” Wade said. “They represent themselves as restaurants, but in reality they are nightspots.”

Sergio’s Cantina is open until 1:30 a.m. and the Red Onion is open until 2 a.m., but both establishments stop serving dinner at 10 p.m.

To regulate the two establishments, the city would probably have to tack on conditions--such as requiring a security guard or limiting hours--to the special use permit that all restaurants must obtain to sell alcohol, Planning Director Phil Gatch said.

At Sergio’s Cantina, owner Steven Dionis said he has canceled the “Under 18 Nights” that attracted particularly rowdy crowds. “I don’t understand quite what the city is trying to do,” he said. “I do more business in food than in liquor.”

Red Onion managers said they could not comment.