Alcohol licenses to be considered by Newport Beach Planning Commission today
The Newport Beach Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss three alcohol licenses during a special meeting Monday, in addition to reviewing proposed land use changes needed to move forward on a 130-room hotel at the former city hall site.
Both a Balboa Peninsula taco shop and the Lido Theatre want to begin serving alcohol, while the Port Theater wishes to expand its current operations.
Although the city’s Zoning Administrator gave Sancho’s Tacos approval earlier this year to get a license for the sale of beer and wine at its 20-seat Balboa Boulevard eatery, Councilman Mike Henn appealed the decision, citing reasons such as “severely limited parking,” “the objections of the adjacent neighbor,” and “the already existing high concentration of on-site alcohol sales in the immediate area” in his June appeal.
Also up for discussion, the nearby Lido Theatre, which recently changed operators from Regency Theatres to Lido Live, applied for allowance of a license that would permit the theater to serve beer during movies and live performances, according to a staff report.
Possible hours of service would be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, the report said, and it would be limited to the mezzanine, which would only be accessible by those 21 and older.
Beer would be sold on both floors of the theater during shows limited to those 21 and older.
Meanwhile, the Port Theater wants permission to serve alcohol on both the first and second level during screenings open to all ages, instead of just serving drinks on the second floor mezzanine or with screenings for those who are at least 21 years old, a staff report said.
The remodeled Corona del Mar theater, which reopened in July 2012, also hopes to be able to serve alcohol until 1 a.m., instead of 11 p.m, the report said.
Discussion of the alcohol service will be preceded by consideration of the hotel, for which the land use changes have been recommended by staff for adoption.
The meeting was rescheduled from Thursday due to lack of quorum. The Monday meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 100 Civic Center Dr.