Public comments urge temporary flexibility for indoor pickleball venue; cigar lounge owner raises transfer concerns

Several members of the public used the Planning Commission’s oral-communications period Feb. 4 to press city officials on two separate business matters: a request for temporary use flexibility for an indoor pickleball facility (the “Dean House”/Dink House Los Angeles) and a question from a cigar lounge owner about transferring approvals after a lease conflict.

Michael Brown, who identified himself as owner of Legend Cigar Lounge in Gardena, said his landlord raised rent multiple times and forced him to seek a new location about 20 feet away from his current site. Brown said he sought information about transferring his conditional use permit and his beer-and-wine license to a new space and asked whether the commission or council could consider a moratorium or agenda item to address the situation. Commissioners and staff explained that conditional use permits generally run with the land and that state law and municipal code require a conditional use permit for a new cigar lounge; staff advised him on the municipal process and suggested the City Council may need to consider any code change.

Several speakers representing the local pickleball community asked the commission to allow an indoor facility currently operating at 1495 West 130th Street time to come into compliance while it pursues required permits. Abby Rahimi and Alex Lee described community demand for courts, social benefits for seniors and youth, and that their facility—Dink House Los Angeles / the Dean House—had recently faced code enforcement action. Alex Lee said a code enforcement officer had threatened escalating fines and asked the city to consider temporary use authorization while the group completed permitting. Victor Joseph also described how an indoor facility offers consistent play during poor air quality or weather and urged flexibility so the local pickleball community would not be forced to travel out of Gardena.

Commissioners and staff responded that the Recreation Department and appropriate city channels handle programmatic requests and temporary uses; staff recommended that the speakers meet with Parks and Recreation and city staff to review permitting requirements and options. The commission did not grant any temporary authorization at the hearing; staff said applications and permit requirements would need to be followed for lawful operation.

No formal action was taken by the commission on either matter during the public-comment period; the cigar-lounge question and the pickleball requests were noted and staff encouraged follow-up with the appropriate departments.