Committee narrows Mayor’s Restaurant licensed area, approves temporary summer extension

The Ordinance and Licensing Committee on May 11 recommended modifying Mayor’s Restaurant’s liquor license so the permanent licensed premises include the building interior and a fenced front lawn up to the sidewalk, excluding the driveway and parking lot. Chelsea Sanchez, the applicant, told the committee she is seeking the change so the restaurant can “serve liquor outside” on a regular basis; she said the plan is to fence and use the front lawn for seating.

City staff advised the committee that code requires clarity about the licensed premises and a substantial enclosure around any permanent licensed area to control access. Staff recommended the applicant delete the driveway and parking lot from the permanent description and, if the restaurant wants occasional use of the parking lot for events, to apply for a temporary extension for those dates. After staff and the applicant agreed on a submitted drawing showing the fenced front-lawn footprint, a committee member moved to amend the application to limit the permanent premises to the building and the north portion of the front lawn up to the sidewalk with a substantial enclosure; another committee member seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The committee will forward the amendment to the full City Council on May 19 for final action.

To allow operations before the renewed license takes effect, the committee separately approved a temporary extension of premises for Mayor’s Restaurant through June 30 to cover a limited outdoor footprint for special events. The committee clarified that the permanent license will take effect July 1 and that temporary extensions are the appropriate route when the restaurant seeks to use the parking lot for a single event.

The committee recorded no dissent on these motions; staff said the clerk’s office will follow up with the applicant on final drawing details and fencing requirements before the May 19 council meeting.