Council denies request to reissue liquor permit in Wilmington

The Los Angeles City Council on Dec. 21 denied a request to reissue a liquor sales permit for a market at the corner of Henry Ford Avenue and Anaheim Street in Wilmington, voting 10-0.

Public commenters from the neighborhood and nearby businesses urged the council to deny reissue. Leo Soucek of Coordinated Equipment Company said he collected signatures from local property and business owners opposing the permit, saying the corner had a history of crime and disorder before recent cleanup efforts. Business owner George Adana Sopholos said he had operated his establishment for 25 years and described prior problems with drug activity and break-ins at the corner.

A speaker identified as Will Nieves told the council the market had previously closed in 1998 because of an eminent domain action related to city street widening and that the court-approved settlement documents included language that the city would cooperate in reintroducing the license after the project was completed. Nieves said both landlord and tenant received compensation for closure during the widening project and warned that denying the license again could create additional compensation claims.

Councilmember Hahn moved to deny the request, citing quality-of-life concerns and petitions from local businesses. The clerk recorded 10 ayes; the request was denied.

Clarifying details on the record included the location of the property at Henry Ford Avenue and Anaheim Street, the 1998 closure tied to an eminent domain action for street widening, and the assertion by a public speaker that the settlement documents included a commitment by the city to cooperate in reintroducing the license once the widening project was completed. The council did not adopt any additional mitigation measures or compensation determinations at this meeting.

Votes: denial recorded 10 ayes.