Planning commission approves outdoor dining for Ragazza at Metro Hotel with limits

The Planning Commission approved a conditional‑use authorization to allow outdoor dining for Ragazza, a 40‑seat full‑service Italian restaurant operating at the Metro Hotel, permitting up to 25 patrons on an approximately 240‑square‑foot rear patio under revised conditions addressing hours and noise mitigation.

Planning staff reported they received three letters and one email in opposition from nearby upstairs residents, and approximately 80 letters and emails of support from the broader neighborhood. Staff’s revised conditions (Exhibit A) included specific limitations on hours, last seating times, capacity, and prohibitions on amplified music.

Owner and chef Sharon Ardiana described Ragazza as a small neighborhood restaurant serving artisan Italian fare and said the backyard garden is a quiet amenity. “This restaurant is not a a slice joint or anything like that,” she said, stressing that the patio would be used sparingly and that the owners had met with immediate neighbors, offered noise‑abatement proposals and rolled back brunch hours to reduce impacts.

Several neighbors and community members testified in support, noting the business’s neighborhood contributions and the owners’ outreach. Commissioners praised the owners’ willingness to work with neighbors and voted to approve the project with revised conditions; the motion passed unanimously.