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Council approves two restaurant alcohol/live‑entertainment permits with conditions and hour limits
Summary
The council approved conditional‑use permits for two existing restaurants to sell beer and wine and host live entertainment. La Masiada (McKinley Avenue) was approved 3–2 with modified hours and an advertising notice requirement; Sushi Shingen (E. Eighth) was approved unanimously with adjusted weekend hours.
National City’s City Council approved two conditional‑use permits allowing on‑site beer and wine sales and live entertainment at existing restaurants, with conditions designed to limit neighborhood impacts.
La Masiada (1524 McKinley Avenue) Council approved a conditional‑use permit for La Masiada to sell beer and wine and host live entertainment, subject to conditions recommended by staff and the Planning Commission. Planning staff noted the site is in a primarily industrial area west of Interstate‑5 and that a restaurant‑scale alcohol use is conditionally allowed. The applicant originally requested alcohol sales from 8:00 a.m. to midnight and entertainment beginning at 8:00 a.m.; the Planning Commission recommended starting live entertainment at 10:00 a.m. and restricting outdoor entertainment to end by 10:00 p.m. to reduce neighborhood impacts.
After public testimony and council discussion, a substitute motion to approve the project was adopted by a 3–2 vote that set hours per the applicant’s request for alcohol sales but added a requirement that any advertised events be sent to the police department for notification (the council also required doors and windows to remain closed during entertainment). The council’s action included standard responsible‑sales and safety conditions (food available when alcohol is sold, staff RBS training, receipt‑reporting for alcohol/food sales).
Sushi Shingen (1539 E. Eighth Street) Council also approved a CUP for Sushi Shingen, a 2,445‑square‑foot restaurant at East Eighth and Palm. The applicant had requested broad hours; staff and Planning Commission recommended more restrictive hours. The council adjusted hours to allow alcohol sales Monday–Thursday and Sunday 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., and Friday–Saturday 8:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m., and approved live entertainment with the usual conditions (no advertised events, doors/windows closed during entertainment, RBSS training). The measure passed unanimously.
Common conditions for both approvals included adherence to National City Council Policy 707 on responsible beverage service, staff training, availability of food during alcohol sales and coordination with police on public‑safety conditions.
Votes at a glance - Item 10.1 (La Masiada): CUP for on‑site beer/wine sales and live entertainment — Approved 3–2 (substitute motion: grant approval with police notification for advertised events and hours limits) - Item 10.2 (Sushi Shingen): CUP for on‑site beer/wine sales and live entertainment — Approved unanimously
Why it matters: Both approvals permit expanded nighttime uses in commercial corridors but include conditions intended to limit noise and safety impacts in adjacent neighborhoods. The La Masiada approval drew particular attention because of its industrial location and modifications to hours and advertising rules.
What’s next: Permit holders must follow the conditions of approval, submit required documentation (RBSS training, sales receipts) and remain subject to the city’s standard code‑enforcement and noise‑ordinance provisions. Staff will monitor compliance and can return enforcement actions if conditions are violated.
(Reporting note: Planning staff and the Planning Commission recommended hours and conditions; council adjusted hours and advertising controls in action on the dais.)
