The Hermosa Beach City Council Tuesday night denied several requests to change the conditional use permit for Scotty’s restaurant including the allowance of the sale of general alcohol and an extension in the hours of operation. The vote was 3-2.

The City Council sustained the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission’s decision to deny the requests of Scotty’s owner Peter Mangurian to allow for the sale of general alcohol, excluding beer and wine which is served there now, live entertainment, a takeout food service window and to extend the hours of operation to 2 a.m. The establishment will now only be able to stay open until 11 p.m.

A representative for Mangurian addressed the council, contending the changes in the CUP will offer the restaurant a chance to compete with other establishments located on the pier plaza and along Hermosa Avenue claiming to be restaurants that sell general alcohol and operate until 2 a.m. 

“Scotty’s record is unblemished and Mr. Mangurian has operated the business for the past 12 years without any complaints related to noise or operation, “he said. “Scotty’s just wants to compete and hold its own with the number of bars that have liquor licenses. To keep this restaurant from having a liquor license is to cut off the wings of a business organization. You have no grounds not to grant this and you can’t base it on the sins of others.”

The commission based its ruling on various concerns including potential noise that could have affected neighborhoods adjacent to the restaurant located at 1100 The Strand.

In 1985, the City Council granted on appeal a CUP for the sale of beer and wine inside the restaurant; and in 1993 the City Council on another appeal allowed for the sale of general alcohol, live entertainment and a 24-hour operation. The process to validate such a CUP amendment never occurred and so it eventually expired.

Mayor Sam Edgerton and Councilman Art Yoon dissented on the matter asserting Mangurian should have the right to sell general alcohol with the condition his restaurant close at 10 p.m.

“Some requests made from the applicant are certainly things I can live with. We’ve had these same arguments before that the sale of alcohol is somehow different from the sale of beer and wine, and, frankly, I don’t see a difference,” said Yoon. “We would have to pay close attention to make sure there would be noise attenuation measures made because of the close proximity to the neighborhood.”

Other council members were dubious about the CUP change and felt Mangurian wanted the amendments, which would increase the value of the property, in the hopes of one day selling it. Every CUP attached to a business goes with the title of the land. Mangurian informed the City Council Scotty’s was not for sale.

“Most restaurants in the area are not operating as restaurants after 11 p.m. and I don’t want to add another,” said Councilman J.R. Reviczky. “The CUP goes with the land and there are no doubts in my mind that Mr. Mangurian is a good operator, but nothing stays the same. Because the CUP runs with the land, whatever we grant Mr. Mangurian we grant to a future successor, whomever that may be.”