Costa Mesa OKs expansion, outdoor dining at 19th Street bar in problem parking area
When the Costa Mesa City Council in January approved an outdoor dining ordinance codifying pandemic-era changes to the way patrons consume food and drinks at local eateries, the move was roundly approved by customers and proprietors alike.
But an application of the law — which allows the creation and expansion of outdoor offerings to be approved by city staff without full review by the Planning Commission — was challenged this week and placed before commissioners over noise and parking concerns.
Owners of the Westend bar and restaurant, located at 814 West 19th St., propose expanding a rear patio from 296 square feet to 720 square feet to accommodate outdoor dining, a bar and live musical performances. They also seek to extend closing time from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly.
The renovation calls for removal of two of the site’s three parking spaces, but the city’s outdoor dining ordinance allows for such displacement. Also, because the bar’s interior footprint is not being changed, no new parking is required.
Zoning administrator Scott Drapkin approved the proposal on May 28, but that determination was appealed by Councilman Don Harper who, two days later, submitted a call for review “regarding adequate parking for both the applicant and surrounding businesses that will be impacted.” Commissioners considered the matter Monday.
Tyler Hertzske opened Westend in 2017 with business partners Pat Lloyd and Roland Barrera, in the site formerly occupied by Big Belly Deli. Initially a coffee bar with beer and wine and a retail space for antiques, the business now offers a full menu with cocktails and live music.
“My contribution to the community was to have a place where you could have local artists, local musicians and maybe even run into your hero one day and have the option to see them [perform] in a small, intimate place free and unannounced,” Hertzke said Monday.
Situated on the north side of 19th Street, between Placentia and Federal avenues, Westend is book-ended by other bars with zero street parking out front. But a relatively ample parking lot exists across 19th Street, serving businesses within the Vista Center.
However, that parking is for plaza businesses, whose owners cite numerous problems contending with bar patrons taking up all the spaces and dangerously dashing across the street to their destinations.
Built as early as 1880, the 900-square-foot Station Master’s House is one of four structures at 2150 Newport Blvd, which also holds a detached garage with laundry room and two commercially zoned buildings.
“We do not have any available parking for bars across the street that are currently open until 2 a.m., and we’ll not have any parking for this new establishment that’s trying to [stay] open until 2,” Vista Center property manager Leila Lester told commissioners.
Lester and other proprietors, along with neighbors who also described parking and noise issues created by bar patrons, opposed the expanded patio, live music and late-night hours.
“Noise until 11 p.m. is fine, that’s just a part of life. But noise until 2 a.m. is new and it’s a problem, said Kari Nieblas, who lives in the nearby Freedom Homes neighborhood. “I want to be able to live in my house and sleep at night with my windows open and not have to listen to somebody’s music.”
Westend owners prepared a mitigation plan with soundproofing measures in the rear patio’s construction, regular noise level readings and a specially designed audio system. They also contracted with an industrial business at 1945 Placentia Ave., to use 17 spaces to the rear of the bar at night. But those spaces are not adjacent to the business, nor are they visible from the street.
Hertzske said owners were in talks with creating a direct path from the spots to the establishment and promised employees would advise customers on parking and noise.
Concerned neighbors raised the issue that Hertzke’s partner, Barreraas, was charged with a misdemeanor in 2020 after repeatedly failing to mandate face coverings for customers and employees, declining to enforce social distancing requirements and continuing to operate during restricted hours during the COVID pandemic.
“We have an applicant who is someone who isn’t following our rules,” said a neighbor who identified himself only as Dan. “I don’t think we can trust them to uphold these conditions.”
After a lengthy discussion about the compatibility of Westend’s expansion and how the city might enforce the terms of a minor conditional use permit, the panel upheld Drapkin’s approval with some modifications, including recommending signage about parking and noise.
They allowed the expanded hours, live music and alcohol sales until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays only, agreeing to revisit the matter in six months. If there are no issues, the full proposal would be approved.
“Bringing it back in six months after approval with the data of taking it all the way to 2 a.m., just for those two nights a week, gives us a benchmark to see if anything has gone wrong,” Chair Adam Ereth reasoned.
But commissioners Jon Zich and Karen Klepak opposed, saying what’s already a problem won’t be made better by more allowances.
“There’s a lot of hope in here, and I hope it all pans out for your sake,” Zich said.
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