At its July 10 meeting, the Los Banos Planning Commission recommended to the city council a Type 41 alcohol license for La Gloria Restaurants and Desserts and approved a conditional use permit for larger signs at a commercial development on Ward Road and Pacheco Boulevard.
Chair John Cates came back from vacation having chaperoned a high school trip to New York. He led a full commission, including Rob Robinson, Elias Reyes, Kathy Uhley and Christopher Perrecone.
The type 41 alcohol license for La Gloria Restaurants and Desserts is for an establishment located in the same shopping center as Premiere Cinemas. According to Los Banos City Associate Planner Justin Ragunton, if the license is approved by the Los Banos City Council and the California Alcohol Beverage Control, the restaurant would be the 17th restaurant with an alcohol permit in the city.
The license allows the on-premises sale of beer and wine. The restaurant operates from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, opening earlier on Friday at 10 a.m. and at 9 a.m. for the weekend. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.
Commissioner Elias Reyes had concerns. Reyes worried that intoxicated customers would be served. A potential condition to address the concern was considered but according to City Attorney William Vaughn, “Our ordinance doesn’t do that.”
Vaughn went on to clarify that a condition could be added but may not be enforceable since this falls under state beverage control regulations and not the city’s. Vaughn made it clear that adding a condition would set a precedent, which Cates found troubling.
The daughter of the applicant, who identified herself as Marina, reassured the commission that the family-owned restaurant had considered this issue and is thinking about setting additional restrictions over who can be sold alcohol. “We like the family environment we have created,” Marina said.
In her report Los Banos Community and Economic Development Director Stacy Elms gave kudos to the restaurant, highlighting how the owners started at the “tail end” of the pandemic. She focused on its current expansion into a neighboring storefront as a “testament to success.”
Commissioners Uhley, Reyes, Robinson, and Chair Cates congratulated owners of the restaurant.
“I need to get over there and try it out,” Reyes said.
“I’d like to taste the food,” Robinson said.
Cates said, “I’ll have to drag my wife over there.”
The Day and Night Market development being constructed at the northeast corner of Ward Road and Pacheco Boulevard requested larger signs. The market will have a Valero gas station, a Day and Night Market, a Rare Earth Coffee shop, Fury Hot Chicken, and Dad’s Cookies as tenants. Given the large number of tenants in the building, the planning commission gave an exemption from the normal code to allow 196.75 square feet of signage space facing south instead of the 80 square feet normally allowed.
Additionally, the development was given an exemption to double the size of the freestanding sign normally allowed, including a self-dimming LED screen at the south of the property.
The reasoning, as explained by Elms, was due to how many buildings will obstruct the view. She also clarified that the normal limits on signage aren’t hard limits and have been exempted in the past for Walmart, Walgreens, DD’s Discounts, Stonecreek Plaza and others.
Reyes had a concern over the brightness of the LEDs. Elms reassured the commission that brightness is regulated by Caltrans and that modern LED signs have self-dimming built in to not distract drivers.
In her report, Elms highlighted the opening of Jams 209 Sports Bar and Grill in the historic Crest Theater.
“I’m very excited to welcome them and see some life back into the old Crest Theater,” Elms said. “It is definitely going to be a catalyst for our downtown to create some activity.”
Elms also mentioned that Haley Leonard is now the permanent planning technician and planning commission secretary, filling the role that Associate Planner Jutin Ragunton just left. Elms also mentioned that the July 24 meeting of the commission may be canceled.
In his report, Cates thanked Vice Chair Perrecone for leading the meetings while he was gone. Cates congratulated Haley and Justin for their new positions. He thanked staff and recognized Vaughn for his efforts.
Cates adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
