STUDIO CITY : Residents Won’t Fight Patio Liquor Permit

A popular mini-mall is a step closer to being able to serve alcohol in an open-air patio, now that a residents group has decided to go along with the proposal.

After securing promises by the developer to limit patio seating, look for additional employee parking and attempt to address potential traffic problems, the Studio City Residents Assn. has decided not to appeal the one-year trial permit received by the Laurel Promenade last month, association president Tony Lucente said Thursday.

“We feel like they’re very aware of our concerns and will make a good effort to address the concerns,” Lucente said.

The shopping center is located at the intersection of Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards. The three restaurants that want to serve alcoholic beverages on their patios are Louise’s Trattoria, Gaucho Grill and the Daily Grill.

Tom O’Brien, planning consultant for Los Angeles-based Laurel Center Group, which owns Laurel Promenade, said he was pleased with the association’s decision, and that he is putting the finishing touches on a parking plan that addresses the group’s concerns.

“We appreciate the time they’ve taken to work with us on that,” he said. “I think we’re going to be able to come up with a plan that works for the community, the center and the center’s tenants.”

The developer has agreed to reduce the number of patio seats by 30 to 120 and survey nearby office and business properties for additional employee parking. The Laurel Center Group will also consult with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation on ways to prevent traffic problems that residents fear will result from cars making illegal left turns in and out of the shopping mall.

Landscaping improvements will also be made.

The only hurdle remaining is for the developer to get a zoning administrator to approve its parking plan, which is due in mid-June.

Laurel Center Group applied for the conditional use permit last October. The Board of Zoning Appeals granted the permit April 5, overturning a zoning administrator’s decision to the deny the application because of concerns about insufficient parking.