Council to Have Final Word on Serving Alcohol on Los Rios

The City Council will have the final say on a number of changes proposed at the Hummingbird House Café property, including whether the eatery can sell alcohol.

Monica Mukai bought the property 2005, and at first had dreams of if being her forever-home. The Los Rios Street Historic District allows property owners to live in their hundreds-year-old houses and operate a business from them.

But the dream became a nightmare when living right on top of the railroad tracks became untenable. So she rented her property out – at one point to three tenants – o.

The Hummingbird House Café is popular, but the restaurant’s owner says he needs to serve beer and wine to make the business profitable. Alcohol is not permitted in the historic district, although two restaurants – The Ramos House Café and The Tea House on Los Rios – were grandfathered in when, for a brief point in time, alcohol was allowed.

Both the Planning and the Cultural Heritage commissions have advised the City Council to say no to alcohol.

But that’s just one of three issues. The other are a request to allow nonresident business owners to put up outdoor displays and a request to build a bathroom in the ancillary building that currently houses a Blue-Eyed Girl clothing shop.

Both commissions recommended approval for those two items.

The City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, where it will also discuss:

• The Reata Park and Event Center
• Continuing the $1-a-year lease with Head Start of Orange County for city property at 31486 El  Camino Real
• Whether to fill the Planning Commission vacancy left by Ginny Kerr’s recent resignation

The council meets at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto in San Juan Capistrano.