Politics & Government

No Suds and Wine for Los Rios, Council Decides

Although two restaurants have been grandfathered in, councilmen said no more. They want to protect the residential characteristic of the neighborhood.

Neither the Hummingbird House Café nor any other businesses in the Los Rios Historic District may sell beer and wine, the San Juan Capistrano City Council decided Tuesday.

Two restaurants – the Ramos House Café and the Tea House on Los Rios – are grandfathered in from a brief time when alcohol sales were permitted in the 1990s. That had Hummingbird House landlord Monica Mukai claiming discrimination.

“I sincerely believe that this is a discrimination issue against a young woman of Japanese and Latina ancestry,” Mukai said in a final plea to allow the Mediterranean-themed restaurant the right to serve alcohol. “Discrimination is not a new issue on Los Rios, it has deep roots and it is strong, and yet we must come together and challenge it to rid it from our town.”

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When the council considered the request last month, two councilmen asked staff to come up with a way to accommodate the request without turning California’s oldest residential neighborhood into a bar zone.

What staff came up with was a proposal to create a “commercial core” in the Los Rios district from which businesses could serve beer and wine, with a two-drink maximum and only during certain hours. 

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But in a unanimous vote, four councilmen – with Mayor John Taylor recusing himself because he lives in Los Rios – rejected the idea, claiming such an easing of restrictions, no matter how carefully phrased, would open a “Pandora’s box.”

“Frankly I think we’re backing ourselves in a maelstrom here,” said Councilman Roy Byrnes. The others agreed.

“I hear from too many people already that they want wine and beer too,” said Councilman Larry Kramer. “I don’t think we want to see wine and beer throughout the entire district. … It’s not a commercial district. It’s a residential district.”

Councilman Sam Allevato said he was hoping staff would come up with something that made a more level playing field. But instead, the proposal was another exception to a rule that gives the appearance of being less fair.

“The proliferation of the commercialization of the [Los Rios] district will be the downfall of the district,” Allevato added.


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