Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the hearing and approve the Hearing Officer’s recommendation and Planning Commission determination to revoke Business Licenses Nos. BU21338610, BU21338620, and BU21338630, issued to Enaid’s Way, Inc., dba Miko’s Sports Lounge, located at 710 West Willow Street; and Approve the Hearing Officer’s recommendation to allow the commercial/industrial Business License No. BU90057720, issued to the Mark, Ronald, and Colleen Mackey (Property Owners), to remain and be modified by adding a condition to the Business License requiring the Property Owners not operate or lease the premises to any tenant engaging in the sale of alcohol for the property located at 710-714 West Willow Street. (District 7)
Motion passes. Thank you. So we'll move on to hearing number two. And I believe an oath is required on this hearing. Clerk Would you mind introduce an item. Report from financial management recommendation? Receive supporting documentation into the record. Conclude the hearing and approve the hearing officer's recommendation and Planning Commission Determination to revoke business licenses issued to Mico Sports Lounge, located at 710 West Willow Street and approve the hearing officer's recommendation to allow the commercial industrial business license issued to Mark Ronald and Colleen Mackey property owners to remain and be modified by adding a condition to the business license, requiring the property owners not operate or lease the premises, and to any tenant engaging in the sale of alcohol for the property located at 710 to 714 West Willow Street, District seven. Thank you. Let's go ahead and do the minutes of the oath. There is an oath required, and anyone that intends to testify this evening should stand and take the oath when the clerk reads it. You and each of you. Do you solemnly state that the testimony you may give in the cause now and pending before this body shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. And I. Thank you. So let's go ahead with staff's presentation. Mr. Modica. Thank you, Vice Mayor. We do have a staff report for this. It will be led by Sandy Palmer, our purchasing and business services manager, and supported by Deputy City Attorney Arturo Sanchez. Good evening, honorable mayor and members of the city council. Tonight, you have before you a recommendation to uphold the hearing officer's determination to revoke the business licenses issued to the way incorporated doing business as MidCoast Sports Lounge, located at 710 West Willow Street and to allow the property owners business license issued to Mark Ronald and Colleen Mackey to remain and be modified by adding a condition to the license requiring that the licensee may not operate or lease the premises to any tenants. Engaging in the sale of alcohol for the property located at 710 to 714 West Willow Street in Council District seven. For some background on this item, in June of 2016, the Development Services Department, as well as the police department, recommended the revocation of the conditional use permit or cuppy and the business licenses associated with this property. The basis for the rectification excuse me revocation was the continued violations of both the conditional use permit and the business licenses . Some of the nuisance activity stemming from the operation of the bar included noise, public urination, intimidation from the bar patrons towards neighboring residents, parking issues, a shooting of a patron coming from the bar, a stabbing outside the bar. Approximately 250 calls for service that are attributable to the bar from January 2014 to May 2016. Citations for UNpermitted Entertainment and a Citation for Health and Safety Issues related to operation of the Bar. On August 9th, 2016, City Council referred to the Planning Commission, the Consolidated Public Revocation Hearing of the of the Cup and the business licenses . On November 3rd, 2016, the Planning Commission voted to revoke the conditional use permit and the business licenses issued to both the property owners and the business owner. After an eight hour long public hearing on November 10th and 11th, 2016, both the business owner and the property owner respectively appealed the revocation of the business licenses. It is important to note that neither party appealed the revocation of the CFP, which allowed the land use of the property to be a bar that appealed, time lapsed and the conditional use permit revocation decision is now final. With the conditional use permit no longer in place, the bar is no longer allowed to operate at the subject property. On December 20th, the City Council 2016 City Council referred the appeal the business license revocations for both the business owner and the property owner to the hearing officer. The six hour long appeal hearing was held on March 15th, 2017, and on April 4th, 2017, the hearing officer submitted his written report outlining his factual determinations, conclusions of law and recommendations. That report is included in the staff report and is marked as Exhibit A staff respectfully request that the City Council uphold the hearing officer's recommendations, which are again to revoke the business licenses issued in its way. Incorporated Doing Business Mico Sports Lounge, located at 710 West Willow Street, and to allow the property owners business license issued to Mark Ronald and Colleen Mackey to remain and be modified by adding a condition to the license requiring that the licensee may not operate or lease the premises to any tenant engaging in the sale of alcohol for the property located at 710 to 714 West Willow Street. And with that, I would like to turn over the staff report to Art Sanchez from the city attorney's office. Mr. Sanchez. Thank you, Ms.. Farmer. Council. I am the deputy city attorney that was assigned to this matter. I handle code enforcement and nuisance abatement matters for the city. And I handled both both hearings. And based on the events and the evidence and facts that are presented at each of those hearings, I thought it was important that Council view a video that was prepared by the residents and kind of spliced together different scenes of the type of activity that they had had to endure since the bar opened back in 2014. And I wanted to give you just a little background before I show the video of, you know, this particular location so that counsel has an idea of the area and the proximity of the bar to the residence. So if I may, real quick and the PowerPoint presentation can be put up, please. So obviously this isn't the the front entrance to maker's bar located 710 West Willow Street. This is an aerial shot of the location of the bar. It's flanked to the let's see where we the north by Oregon Avenue and to the south by Main Avenue. And let's go next here. This is a view looking oh, sorry, east west. And then I'm kind of backwards here. So this looks like it's viewed from the north going south. There we go. So this is a view from obviously above Willow Street, towards the back alley or back parking lot of Migos, where it's designated a little drop pin. And the location of the home adjacent to that alley is the one that where the video was taken from. And this is another angle looking now. Here we go again. So west to east. I think I think I've got that one right. Again, of the parking lot area, which is that there's a parked car parked car in that middle lane. I think there's eight designated spots and that's the parking lot directly behind me goes. And then there's the little alleyway and then that home right adjacent to the alleyway. And this is kind of a ground shot of the same alleyway and parking lot. And this is if you go in looking now, you go again west, east, to west. And again, that the property adjacent to the alley and adjacent to the back parking lot of. A little bit closer view the this is the back door to me goes in the parking lot adjacent to it. Another picture and then this is looking from the driveway exiting that alley in the parking lot, looking to go east or north on Main Avenue. And then this is looking from the alleyway south on Main Avenue. And then this is looking west on Willow Street, where the entrance to me is from the corner of Main Avenue and Willow Street. And then looking south from the corner of Willow Street and Main Avenue towards the the alleyway and the driveway that I previously were previously shown. I'm sorry. The reason I wanted to give you a little bit of a background of the location is because the residents were having trouble when they called the police because of the nature of the calls that were mostly noise violations and also parking violations as well as other nuisance related activities. But because the low priority of the calls, police were arriving and not seeing anything, and there were some discrepancies about whether or not the residents were making a founded calls or legitimate calls. And so what the residents did was they banded together and bought a camera system that was set up in that adjacent home. I think it's 25, 69 Main Avenue. It was the home of resident Ricky or Payson, and they started taking video footage of themselves back in May of 2015, I believe is when they purchased it. And so what the council was going to see now is a compilation that they came together and produced themselves and then took it to someone to have prepared of. I think it's 15 separate days where activity was occurring. So with that, I think you can play the video, please. Oh, and before I put it on anything, I just want to advise that there is some profanity that's going to be used in this video and there is some public urination that is depicted. So I just wanted to warn anyone that that's going to be too cold of the scene. So with that, you could play the video, please. I. Around. What? Oh. Right. So why? We hope. After left feeling. Where we are right now. All we. Can't talk about shit that I'm talking about. No violence. Are you hear how? So. City manager. I think we get the gist. If it's okay, if we cut the video a little bit early, that is fine. Yeah. Pissed off idiots. Thank you. So if you want to continue your staff report. So and I just wanted to point out and that the time of of night that and the date we're actually depicted on the video and the TV cameras are positioned obviously facing the back parking area of Nico's and also to the front from 2569 Main Avenue. And that video is presented at evidence at both the Planning Commission hearing and the hearing in front of the hearing officer on the appeal. So and in conclusion, it's the video is played and I know it's some for some it's hard to watch that. It's clearly depicts the type of activities that the residents were having to go through in relation to the operation of Mico Sportsline. So with that, I would request that the Council approve the recommendations of the hearing officer. Thank you. Thank you. So there is a very specific format we have to follow here. We have two appellants. Each appellant is given 15 minutes. And so if the clerk could queue up 15 minutes, I'd like to have appellant Mackey come forth first and and for their comments. Is appellant Mackey here? Okay. How about appellant, Nancy? So we'll start with appellant. Nancy, if appellant Mackey isn't here, then we'll surrender those 15 minutes before we go to the public comment. Vice Mayor. As Miss Yancey is coming down, I would like to point out there's no specific requirement that Mr. Machias representative be here. But I would point out that Mr. Mackey was represented by an attorney both at the Planning Commission hearing and at the hearing in front of the hearing on the appointed hearing. OFFICER. Thank you. So they have been represented. And just before we begin, is Mr. Mackey's representative here? Okay. And they weren't sure since they're listed that we do call them out. That's correct. And they were provided written notice of tonight's hearing. Fantastic. So we'll begin with appellant, Nancy, and we have 15 minutes. And you don't you don't have to use all 15 minutes. It's not the minimum. 50 minutes is the maximum. And you can defer your time to other speakers if you like. So feel free to proceed. Will there be public comment? Yes, ma'am. After after your comments, then we will have a public comment. Period started back up. And we'll I don't see the clock. Let's start the clock back exactly 15 and then we'll get started. Okay. Yeah. I think you're good. Go ahead. Oh. My name is David Yancey. I am the owner of Michaels Sports Lounge. I, I did have a hearing, um, upon coming to the hearing, we had the planning commission hearing. We were not prepared for the hearing. We never received the video that you received that you saw. My lawyer and asked for a continuance because we never got discovery. So we never was able to act on that video that was cut and sliced many different ways. If you looked at the video, you could hear a young man yelling at who he was, yelling at the neighbor that was talking to him. That guy had never come in my bar. You can not into my bar. What I had on like that and dressed like how he was if I was some regular neighborhood guy but the guy, Ricky would be outside, literally intimidating people walking up the street. We're going to shut you down. We're going to get you shut down. You don't belong here. He actually did that to me while I was outside, but I was helping my security. You need better security. You're paid. None of this is. Well, you're disturbing. I hear he's out there starting things. We actually have one guy to say. The neighbor said, I do look up in his yard. So he picked it up and brought it in the bar. I said, you do that. He said, I did not. He was the intimidating person then to put up a camera on the back of his house with a high speaker on it, because it's just amazing how you looking at the pictures. Everybody's car window was rolled up. You couldn't hear my security guard. My I know my security would not allow people to play music loud while he's standing out there directing them out of the parking spaces. I gave you guys a booklet in the back of the booklet as my security log by each time they met with the neighbors, but each time they met with the police department, each time there was communication with neighbors, police, or they had to kick somebody out of the bar. The majority of the time when someone was kicked out of the bar, they didn't leave. And I couldn't I didn't have control of a main street. I was told to control the front of the bar, the middle of the bar, the inside and the back parking lot. I looked into some things like on second and how they have the police police in the neighborhood. I went and checked downtown Long Beach. I watched the bars on downtown Long Beach and I noticed the police police in the neighborhood there. The police only come to me because one is called upon by the neighbors. I got a call on Saturday, just Saturday. Five people are standing outside. They literally just outside smoking. So it's like now we're getting cited because they're outside smoking where they're supposed to smoke on the inside. I actually literally told the police, you guys are too loud. You need to leave before the neighbors call the police on you. Because I didn't have anybody in my bar. Once I got once I got put up for revocation by the city. I went through the the the the revocation, I guess recommendations. It read that they met with me through two and a half years in regards to the instances going on at the bar. They did not I never met with Mr. Urunga. I never met with his sidekick. Whatever. She is slain. I called Yolanda. And I'm sorry I called you right in 2015 November and asked for a conversation with him. They said I couldn't have one because I was under investigation. I had no idea what investigation I was under after the recommendation. I've been labeled as a bad person. I've been labeled as a person that doesn't want to communicate with the people on the block. I've actually given you guys letters from people that's on the block. I brought a guy with me that actually lives on the block, on the new neighbor that lives behind the bar where Mr. Ricky used to live. He gave a letter that was in the packet that I gave you guys after I was revoked. I had a appeal. So in doing my appeal rights, they told me I could remain open throughout the whole time of the bullying tactics of the neighbors and the city. I was told by Mr. Mackey. That I appealed my appeal incorrectly and now I have to close. So I told Mr. Mackie, No, you pale George incorrectly. He said No. I appealed to correctly, but he kept telling me I had to close, but he didn't know why. When it boiled down to it, he finally said, Well, they told me not to appeal my conditional use permit, so I didn't appeal my conditional use permit. Now you have to get out. Now you have to close. But that was bullying by the city that made Mr. Mackey go ahead and not appeal. So he is still able to keep is able to rent out his business without a liquor license. I continue to stay open. I'm actually I'm still open now. Well, not now, but I've been operating without a conditional use permit. The city has been coming in every week and giving Mr. Mackey a citation. Because it's not. My citation is Mr. Mackey's. But I still remain open and I haven't had any problems. But the neighbors are still calling the police. We had a bunch of neighbors walk by not too long ago. There were a bunch of eggs at everybody's car that was parked in a fight. We had neighbors yelling at us just because I guess they wanted to. In every which way we always stay is not a black thing. But when I turn them into look against me, for me it was not a black thing. I don't know what else it could be is the first time a black person has been over there. I notice I was hit last week. Mordaunt came in here and told you they were being interrupted by the police. They didn't want those people coming over. It was actually black people. But Muldoon's and Daleys both both operate without a entertainment permit, and they both have deejays and bands. I got a ticket and had to go to a criminal court because I operated without a deejay. If I go to a criminal court, I will no longer have my job. If I'm so, I got to take it. February 22nd, the prosecutor's office sent me a letter, March like March the 17th, telling me I had to go to a criminal court for a crime I committed for having a deejay without a permit. I never got a citation January 7th issue to me. I figured if I did something wrong when they came into the facility based on a side of me, then none of my bartenders got a citation. I didn't get a citation, but I went to court and I pled guilty off a ticket that I thought I had. That's not what I even went to court for. That's another plot by the city. Six other bar owners told me they got the police came and told them they could not have a deejay. All they did was turn the deejay. They just deejay just left. But I get a ticket and I have to go to court to get criminally prosecuted and be on probation for a year, all because of a deejay, but nobody other. Mr. Austin, you don't have no entertainment permits in your area. Neither do you. Mr. Richardson And I don't see any of those people going to criminal court for a deejay, and that's just the most obscene thing I could ever hear of my life. The next we have in the hearings, our main witness says he had to sell his house for 20 to $50000 less because the buyer was a nuisance. So he had to hurry up and get out of there like I told him last time I seen him. Nice time you sell your house. Why don't you buy one pass? Because he wasn't even on the property. But you testify under oath that I had to move. I had to move because the boy was. He's quiet and everything. So you get the whole sympathy thing put on. He's crying, telling a lie. The next man next to him says, I could attest to that because I do real estate. And yes, he did lose between 20 to $50000. That's this man right here and that man going in right then. But liars, there's just too much liars. Then when asked by the city attorney, did you know anything about this video? Yes, we did. We put the video together, in his words. Well, why didn't the other side get it? We wanted to surprise them. Whatever happened to Discovery don't should not be privy of all the information that I'm going to be accused of so I could be able to fight for myself. During this whole process, I have not been able to fight, put myself. Because the bullying city and the bully counsels that don't listen and nobody and you bully and neighbors just want me out of there is worse things happen at other bars then that's going on at my bar. You mentioned last week Rock Sands is wonderful. They had a shooting at blocks and you mention it when you said how wonderful it was at a shooting at my bar. It was it as noted in the hearing paperwork. It's that I had a murder in my bar. That's incorrect. They're writing things. And those are not the things that matter inside the bar. No. And a suicide attempt. How? How will I know when somebody leave their girlfriend, break up with them, they walk out and commit suicide? That's like you watching TV and you Macca's not not coming on no more because she did. So you just can't kill yourself. That's how I see it. How can I. How can my security if I had security, my security, what? I knew this man was going to kill herself. As a matter of fact, there was not even a trace of blood in front of my bar or in the back of my bar. So I believe he was at the 710 mark. The man didn't even speak English. Then another incident. Somebody got stabbed inside the bar. No, they did not get stabbed inside the bar. Somebody got stabbed. A guy got stabbed because he was flirting with a black guy across the street at a laundromat. The black guy proceeded to chase him. The guy hit him with a hammer. So the black guys, that guy ran in the bar. So because he had one beer in there earlier, that's my. Fault. That that that can't. All this stuff is has. You have to be actually embarrassed. But put me up by some foolishness like this where we had told us that was Oprah for 50,000 years that had 50 murders in tow bar was outside of tables and around tables. Tell us, in the service district just last week they had was just a knock out brawl. Police sitting out in the front door watching. I can't even continue on YouTube this year because that north side is something that you have to understand. I'm the only black lady bar owner in Long Beach. Yeah, I do cater to black people. Not all, but some. It's a group of black people that need a place to go because they're not going to go to tables and they're not going to go to tailgate. We don't want to go to rock bands because they don't want us in rock band. They're going to go to dailies because my bartender like getting shot at in front of the window. I told you guys last week, that's where you go because you play pool. I have a poorly that's here. They're not there to represent me. They're not going to give me a trophy this year, but they do represent me. I have a group of older guys that play dominoes. My bar is just not about that. I've changed my whole structure of the bar, but the council, Mr. Turanga, is so taken this so personal, he doesn't even want to speak to me to see what changes I've done or how I've done things to make things better. My whole thing is just changed. Then for the man in the paperwork to say None of my witnesses were credible. You got a whole group here. Just why you even have this group, this one lady sitting right there testify that those people those people. What are those people? Those black folks? Literally those black folks. I knew they were from her bar because they were those black folks. So some homeless people that's out there. And she said, the lady defecated in the broad daylight. It's two black homeless ladies that's on that street at Young One and an older one. I let some women in the bar sometimes use the bathroom not all the time, because they clean up in the toilet. But it helped the homeless and then we wouldn't really have a problem. We have homeless people drinking in the back. All of that is not what is cut out to be those days that was on the air. Sure, those things was happening, but it's not happening now. And that's when I first open. When you first open a business, sure. You're going to have problems. You can't you can't just open a business and everything go hunky dory. Everything's not going to be perfect. When you first open, you got to have problems, but you have to work on them. If you don't work on them, then just quit. I would have quit if I did everything these people said I did. If I did every single thing they said I did, I would have just said, You're right, I quit. But right now I didn't put my life savings in this business as seven employees that need this job because they are over the hill, they can't get a job nowhere else. So I'm. I need that. I need to have my business. Thank you, Miss Yancey. You are quite welcome. So. So we'll move on with the. With the hearing. So at this point, we will accept public comment. Any members of the public that would like to speak on this, on this hearing. Now would be the time. So please come forward. Give us your name, where you live. You're allocated 3 minutes. You don't have to spend all the 3 minutes. You. But 3 minutes is the maximum, not the minimum. Sir. Give us your name and go ahead and proceed. Thank you. My name is David Kirkpatrick. I think of many more achievements. Okay. Given accommodation. I think they address misconception to my problem of the heart outside of this council. And I have a disease called spinal cerebellum attacked and that only happens to by one or two people. I've heard a lot, about 400,000. And I was lucky enough to inherit this from my family. So that's how I can get more time. But then you see what happened to me. I've been suffering with that news, this noise from the sport lounge for three years. And now on the weekends, the bar patrons walking up and down the sidewalk and street with a loud outburst of noise, shouting and screaming. What caused me to wake up multiple times and I. 10 p.m. due to be 2 a.m., sometimes 3 a.m., and sometimes I'm not able to sleep at all. So I don't sleep at all. Motorcycles and cars blaring music down the alleyway and then the parking light behind the bar would also wake me up in the middle of the night. The dogs across the alley would would constantly be barking long after 10 p.m. when. When they would hear that patrons from burnout even have taken medication. And I know I better get a taste then. No, wait. I, I, I want to enjoy peace in my home and not have to hear the nightclub activity and the patient out of the bar, hanging out in front of my house, talking loud and playing their cars at at high volumes in the middle of the night. Numerous times I have. Had to ask the beach at the bar, not to park, not to bike my driveway. One time being away, getting in the middle of the night, I asked the folk to leave my house if they could lower their level, their tyranny. The phone, one that might bring her head, was broken. So I think I don't know what happened, but I talked to them, upset them. My grandkids don't want to be at my house on the weekends because of the nuisance activity. They would they would hear the language and and that no one should hear no air to air. And an ambulance would be awake and out of their sleep because of the noise. One time I was awake at 2 a.m. hearing the bar patron scream my neighbor recognition name out loud, and there at the time, music from the outside the bar was over a car. And then when it was shaking my windows because of the loud noise. The first six months the bar was open. Then they had a fight to get them to lower the music. After 10 p.m. we have to appeal to the City Council already to try to make this happen during the daytime. Our worst there is there is the problem, but then it gets past 10 p.m. The noise becomes a big problem. I've been dealing with this situation since 2007, starting with the local bar, then the sand bar, and now Spartan Lounge. Something has to be is something has to be done to eliminate the unacceptable noise after 10 p.m. and throughout the rather than one hour worse the parking provide. The parking provided for the bar is wholly inadequate and the park system at the top of the bar too loud to the neighborhood. We're just. We're just. No. Really quite. Is it this is total the attempt or do we have to deal with this stuff? You guys stopped the deal. You guys didn't see the. The. A good portion of that video. Um, there's hours and hours of footage in and of things of loud outburst of noise in the area. So thank you for letting me speak to you guys. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Next speaker, please. And let's reset the clock back to 3 minutes, please. Thank you. Just give us your name. Thank you. My name is Rick. You represent our house. Was the house 2569. Right behind the bar. One of the most effective neighbors of it. You know, I've been in front of you guys already for some time, and it was very, very upsetting to not only that, you you're the victim and you've been offended and you've been victimized and threatened. And not only myself and my family, you know, most of my neighbors can tell can tell you that they were awakened during the night. I can tell you, we were not able to sleep throughout the night on weekends. We had to leave the house, go somewhere else. I stand before in front of all of you and invited you guys to come over to my house and experience that. This is we've been doing this for three years. You know, I learned about condition, hell condition. Even though my gassy things that I'm acting, I'm not. So but I make this little story, you know, simple. You guys need to put a stop to this. She cannot keep blaming everybody else but her. She's not innocent. She's not. She's not nice person that wants you to believe she is not. She's not. She turned patrons against me. That person that you heard, the profanity that that patron that you hear, that's never around my house. It was a guy that was ready to beat the heck out of me. I was inside a call. The police. The police came. They couldn't find the guy. The guy came out of the bar where whatever were, she says. There's lots of footage that we have in a hard drive. There were give it to different department. We were not able to played all of them here because we were only given a few minutes. Bottom line is this. Now she's accusing me of being a liar. And it's very upsetting. Very upsetting. But I hope is does he really own her house? Because I'm going after it. She is going to find out her real damages and losses I did on the house pay the mortgage for 16 years. 16 years. Well, she would like me to take. I pay my rent either way. It's not relevant. But she wants to make an issue. She wants to make a lighter. Me, a liar. Now she needs to pay for it. You know, I strongly advise you guys. I strongly. Please, I'm asking your pleading you guys. If you let her keep her license, even though she's going to operate on a different location, you're just going to transfer the problems to another community. She has no business being an operator. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Iraq. Good evening, council members. My name is Kerry Sanders. I'm a resident of the 2500 block. Of Main Avenue. I bought my home two years ago this month. This was a dream that I realized on my own through hard work and discipline. I'm proud beyond words that being a single mom, I could do this. In the first year of my residence on Main Avenue, I was stressed beyond imagination. Most impactful was the Christmas holiday shooting. I was woken up by my daughter shouting. Mom, I heard gunshots. I had guests staying for the first Christmas in my dream home. We ran out of bed to see chaos in front of our home. People running from the direction of the bar, screaming and crying. I thought to myself, What if those bullets had gone through my daughter's window? Where have I moved to? I have lived in Long Beach for more than 20 years in various diverse neighborhoods. I've never experienced this kind of fear. I live with my daughter and another young roommate. Since we've moved here, we've experienced confrontations over loud music parking and sexually harassment comments coming from people in front parked in front of our house. There has been public drunkenness, drunken arguments in the street. These are not homeless people. Even now, every loud noise or screeching car still sends. Me into Mika's mode, thinking, What now? I could go. On, but there's no time. Through social media, there has been promotions for large events and parties at Nico's supposedly a neighborhood bar. Some of the invites have over 1000 guests. One promoter calls the bar the hottest throwback Thursday. In L.A. County. Another promoter invites guests to an ongoing laugh out loud Friday. On comedy nights. Council members. This bar sits in a residential area. I find these promotions grossly irresponsible, where he buys for 1000 party cars, for 1000 partygoers Bach or even 50, for that matter, who will see to it these customers disperse responsibly. The video shown gives the answer to that question. Nobody. I am pro women in business, especially minority women. I myself am of Hispanic origin. But I think the owner of Nico's should have sought out a site zoned for a nightclub, given the large entertainment events she's held over the years. We need peace in our homes. I work very hard and wake before the sun comes up for work. My job is in patient care and I and my neighbors need a stress free place to rest and enjoy our families. I am here to ask you to not reinstate Michael's business license. Even if the bar moves somewhere else, it will put another neighborhood in peril. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you so much. Next speaker, please. Hello. My name is Augusta. Williams and I live on the. 2500 block of Main. A few houses down from the bar. I must say, Councilman. Richardson. I'm sorry that you stopped the video. It cost a lot of money for us to make it and a lot of time. And it seems like it's our only defense. What happened on the video? What you saw is what I have experienced. It's hard to explain in 3 minutes. How the nuisance fire has impacted my life for the last three years. There's the actual loud and upsetting disturbances, along with anxiety caused by a nuisance business that can flare up any time. After the shooting, I became concerned about my own safety and the safety of friends and family who visited me. I avoided planning my event, any events at night or on. Weekends at my house. Over concerns my visitors. Might see. Something like a part of my patron relieving themselves in public or a heated argument. And by the way, I witnessed the lady who defecated on my neighbor's yard and she was well dressed. She was not a homeless person, and she was coming from the bar. As my family became more aware of what was happening. They became concerned for my safety. And one suggested I might consider moving. The noise, especially Friday, Saturday and into Sunday mornings were unpredictable. Intermittent and. Stressful. Eventually, to ensure an uninterrupted night's sleep. I chose to go to bed after the bar closed and all customers left. The area. Going to bed at 3 a.m. and trying to get enough sleep was difficult and distress disrupted my natural sleeping pattern. My home is my American dream and legally everyone has a right to enjoy their homes in peace and quiet. The nuisance forces and violent bar incidents have interfered with the right. With that right and no longer do I feel safe in my home or my neighborhood. I will no longer walk past the bar or walk my dog at night. The notion and this has been going around, the notion that the shooting and stabbing had nothing to do with the bar is misleading and contradicted by the police reports. According to one report, the stabbing victim victim was drinking in the bar before he got stabbed outside. We're here tonight because four oh, as I understand, Miss Yancy wants her license back to in part to prove she can be. Thank you for your time. Thank you. I have a disability, so I'm going to ask for a little bit more time. What is the disability? Rheumatoid arthritis. Mr. City Attorney. Don't work like this. They gave me extra time last time. Should we accommodate? I've got one sentence. Okay. Sure. Attorney says we should. Sure. Thank you. Short extension. Thank you. Thank you. Just one sentence here. As I understand it, Ms.. Mance, Ms.. Yancy wants your license back in part to prove she can be trusted as a responsible business owner who can follow city. Laws and ordinance. Yet her bar. Is and has. Been breaking the law by serving alcohol without a conditional use permit for several months. We are here tonight because for nearly three years, Ms.. Yancy has refused to take responsibility for the problems her bar and customers have caused and has consistently claimed. We neighbors are making everything up. How can you correct something, Ms.. Yancy, you claim never happened. If you can't recognize your mistakes, you're bound to repeat them. Please vote in support of the Planning Commission and hearing officer's decision to revoke the business license. Thank you. Next speaker, please. So as a point of as a point of order, we're going to maintain the 3 minutes in almost every circumstance unless there is some, you know, some reason reasonable accommodation requested. And we're going to begin the 3 minutes as soon as someone approaches the podium. We're not going to take breaks for applause and things like that. This is a we will respect everyone's time and get through this so we can get to a decision. Thank you. Please proceed. My name is Tony Karamazov on the 2500 block of Main Avenue, right around the corner from the Nuisance Bar. When I moved into my home 30 years ago, the bar around the corner was called the Club Club a small little hole in the wall bar tucked in the corner, quietly into a residential community that I moved into . The peaceful enjoyment of my home has been taken from me in many ways since Nichols opened it. Being from the cars, the car alarms, loud people walking to and from the bar in front of my home. When the rear door to the wall would open, the music would blast into my neighborhood, patrons gathering on the corner at Willow and main screaming helmet, having a good time, music blaring from their car, radios parked on the corner. All of this and more working for me from my sleep constantly. That's not a neighborhood bar. My sleeping habits began to change, and on Thursday nights, because of the disturbances, my stomach would start to churn in anticipation of the weekends because of the disturbances. When my neighbors and I reached out to Miss Yancy in February of 2014 and asked her, Could we find something, some solution together regarding the disturbances? She told us to call the police if her patrons disturbed our peace. When the police met with her months later regarding the ongoing disturbances, she told them, and I quote, she would take care of her patrons inside the bar and the police could take care of her patrons outside the bar. The video you saw barely was a small example of the absolute hell. That is my experience because of Nico's. Of course, Nico's customers are not all bad people. No one is saying that, but some of them are. I've seen police reports in which an undercover detective reports that he recognized the main gang members and drug dealers in the bar. When the shooting happened in December of 2015. It was a turning point for me. I never was afraid of any of the businesses on Willow until Michaels moved in. This is about a nuisance bar. Nothing more, nothing less. Please do not reward bad behavior. Please put an end to this process and deny the appeal. Thank you. Next picture, please. My name is Christy Cain, and I live on the 2600 block of Main Avenue across Willow from Nico Sports Lounge. I'm speaking today to urge the council to approve the repeal of the business license for macOS in December of 2015. My husband and I witnessed the immediate aftermath of the shooting that had its origins in the bar just feet from our front door. Although time has passed, the emotional shock of that night, the agony I saw and heard, the victim experience and the steady, low lying dread I've lived with since since has changed the way I view my neighborhood and even the city which I've called my home for almost 20 years. I'm under no illusions that Wrigley is a perfect neighborhood with no crime. But gun violence practically at my doorstep is a clear and stark manifestation of the problems Nico's has brought to our community. As you've heard from my neighbors, they've had to consistently deal with less momentous but no less stressful conditions daily. I've been asking myself what's worse for over a year now, and I honestly don't know the answer. To add insult to injury, Miz Yancy has never taken responsibility for any of it. She has no interest in what happens outside the door of the bar. She's made that perfectly clear in these chambers and outside. She's made a bad situation. So much more frustrating to the neighbors and I would argue to the city, please hear us. The hearing officer and the Planning Commission and approve the recommendation to revoke the business license from Ecos. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Hi. My name is Edward Kane. I live on the 2600 block of Main Avenue across the street from the bar. I am also speaking to support the recommendation to revoke the business license. The shooting happened in the early morning hours of the 27th of December, so the extension of the night after Christmas , we had gone home late. My dog needed to go for a walk. They have a way of let you know when they need to do that. So I went to the door, opened it up, and I was immediately confronted with the sight of a body lying in the street that had been shot in front of my house . There was a melee of people that had poured out from the bar and were basically creating a to do in the street. Obviously I did not take my dog for a walk. I went inside, I locked the door and I called 911. There were further violent incidents, the stabbing that increased the sense that this is a volatile place and it was making my community and the street I live on unsafe. And about the shooting, i read the police report. One of the things about me, he does not want to accept any responsibility. She wants to gaslight us and let us think that these things that we've seen even tonight on the video, she wants to pretend that those things didn't happen. We've seen this on the video. She says it didn't happen. She wants to say that it's other people in the neighborhood. It's not the bar. She wants a scapegoat. People. The police report makes it clear that patrons and management and also what management, anyway, employees and patrons of the bar recognized the the shooter as having been in the bar, recognized the intended target as regular of the bar , the shooting. They were both in there that night. It was an event that started in the bar and it ended in my in front of my house. So to say that the bar's problem is is ludicrous and it's disrespectful to the neighborhood. She had opportunities to work constructively with the neighborhood. She chose to scapegoat and to alibi and to deny reality. And for those reasons, she should not be allowed to keep her business license. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Hi. My name is Bill Alvis and I live on the corner of Cedar and BURNETT, which is nearby the area. But I patronize MCUs on a regular basis. I want to mention that. Regarding. Shootings, this is Wrigley and unfortunately I was almost shot in my own front yard. I had to duck over, shooting through my. Next door home. Over seven shots. People were shot next to my home. Two people in my. Landlord save someone's life. That had nothing to do with this bar. This is Wrigley. Now, the police, unfortunately, are trying to work together to make this better. But as a victim, I've not had help from the police. Someone broke into my home. And did not help me at all. So the other just trespassing. They didn't get a breaking and entering ticket. They got a ticket for saying for trespassing instead of breaking. Entering. Anyway, today, I'm just frustrated with this meeting because of that gentleman's comment about Snoop Dog and putting that sign on the top floor of the police department . It's hard to get by that kind of racism. I understand the issues with the neighborhood and the noise that people have seen. However, had I known I was on camera and my voice. Was being recorded outside that bar, I would have never hugged my gay partner. And that makes me very angry that I was not. Notified that I am being. Videotaped and my voice is being recorded. That's very upsetting to me. Regarding the homeless issue, well-dressed homeless people are in Wrigley and they're especially over in that neighborhood. Those people have strange clothes and they come from the riverbed. I know one person who dresses impeccably. She's homeless. But she doesn't cause problems in the back of the bar. Regarding disabilities, I am also disabled, so there is no excuse for that type of behavior too. I understand where these people are coming from, but I want you to know that I have seen Deedee squash issues. Those videos you look at one is January 1st. So that's New Year's Eve was to be expected. You bought a home by a bar. And I'm just wanting you to think outside the box or you rented a home outside of a bar. People should have done their due diligence before moving in there and buying homes right next to a bar. It's a shame that Deedee is going to lose a lot of money and her employees will no longer have jobs because they didn't plan in advance. Maybe club was an issue. Deedee has changed that and I've never gone to the bar club before because I did not feel comfortable in that bar. But ever since Deedee took over, well, within the. Last two. Years, I've been comfortable, I've been welcomed, have never seen arguments, have seen some noise in the back immediately. So she has secured in front of possibly she should get security in the back. But that's all I have to say, really. I just can't believe what I've heard tonight. But everyone is entitled to their opinion. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Next speaker, please. Hi. Good evening. My name is Sabrina David. I am a Long Beach native. I grew up in a six day strike. I do recall riding my bicycle as a teenager to VIP records to get a record to get the vinyl, as he mentioned. But I also grew up with Deedee Yancey. I grew up by Kings Park. That was one of the areas that I patronized. Since then, I've grown up, I've made a career, had a career, made a life for myself and kind of distance myself from Long Beach. When I found out that Dee Dee was opening up a sports bar, I have not since then, since the day she opened, I have been. A patron. Of her bar. I'm not a hoodlum. I never was a hoodlum. But yes, I grew up in Long Beach, so I absolutely know drug dealers, I absolutely know murderers. I absolutely know gang bangers. As a matter of fact, I'm related to a few in my family has been a victim of gang violence. That is not a bar problem. That is your problem. That is the city's problem. If the city took a long time to get to the police, to report or to witness the things that were occurring outside of her bar, they shame on them because no, she is not the police. No, she should not govern and police the area outside of that bar. Now, I'm afraid of being killed. I'm not going to a bar where I think people are going to beat me up and be killed. I'm absolutely not a product of that particular environment. So when you hold her responsible for what happens outside of the bar, I find that to be ludicrous. The neighbors, Rikki, in particular, has bothered me when I parked in front of his house. I've since then stopped parking in front of his house, but I have a beautiful car and it's clean and it didn't bother his. As a matter of fact, it enhanced the neighborhood. To be quite frank with you. I didn't use loud. I don't play my music loud. And if I did, most likely it's classical. So I don't I'm not sure how I am a nuisance to the community, but I'm also a homeowner, so I am sympathetic to that. And maybe that didn't occur with other people who patrons patronize the bar. But I can absolutely tell you with certainty, because I've worked with Didi to try to mitigate this. Our entire problem. She has done everything she can within her powers to try to make sure that no one parks on that on Main Street, to make sure that there's no music, that that's played loud. We haven't had a DJ. And furthermore, I've had many, many fundraisers there. I've had one for breast cancer, I've had one for the class of 1985, probably. Jack Jackrabbits for our 30 year reunion assisted my. Friend with her class. Of 86 reunion fundraiser there, and those monies went to notable organizations either within our community or nationwide, i.e. breast cancer. Did we have a bunch of people there? Yes, we did. I'm 50 years, though. We have 5050 year old women that were doing a paint and sip. Not sure how that disrupted the community. I'm pretty sure they were upset about all of our BMW, them Mercedes and Porsches and all the other things that they drive parked in front of their house. And I like this car backfiring. Thank you. Thank you for your time next week, please. Hello. My name is Kelly Melton and I am a patron of Michael's Sports Bar. And I just want to kind of touch up on a couple of things here because. I really. Hate that it's gotten to this point. Back in November of last year at the meeting when this at the council meeting, when this issue first came up, I do remember that there was a takeaway basically from that meeting directly from the mayor asking you, Ranga and Councilman Andrews, to try and work with the community and Deedee to try to get a resolution to this issue. So we wouldn't have to get to this point. At that time. A few of us did meet with Didi. We had some meetings on trying to brainstorm on things that we can do. And I myself personally took the challenge to reach out to Councilman Andrews. And you, Ranga. Called both offices. And to no avail, no response from them. So I'm just kind of appalled and and all that. The city's not taking a different stance on this to see what they can do to try and help this business owner, but also help the community. You know, I'm not going to deny what happened on that video because it's there. But I'm sure there's more to the video. I don't page I don't patronize the bar that late, so I can't tell you what happens after 10:00. But I know for me, 50 year old woman, professional. I've lived in the big. Screen knows community. I lived in the Wrigley and in the central area. Things happen everywhere and we can't control the things that happen outside of the bar. I really feel that she can't. I think that she's made a change. There's been a drastic change to the bar, and I think that the community's not willing to open their eyes to see that the changes that she's made and those changes have come basically from her seeing this video and the things that were going on. I think that all this red tape that the city is putting her through is personally a waste of my tax dollars because we see and hear about the same things that happened in other bars and other communities. And so how I look at it as we have a a bar in place with the African-American bar owner that we can say 80% of her customers are African-American, yet you all are doing everything you can to shut her down and not try and work with her. So for me, I just have an issue with that. Again, I accept you, Ranga. You take some time and meet with her. If not, have your staff person at least return some phone calls? Because I know I personally reached out to you to try and mitigate this issue based on what the mayor recommended. So I have to say thank you. Thank you for your time. My speaker, please. Good evening. My name is Carol Bolton. I'm a homeowner in the Wrigley area, 3171 Eucalyptus. My in-laws are at 3274 main and I didn't go to the bar when it first opened. But the last three years I do it, go to the bar, and sometimes I even ride my bike down there because I'm retired and there's not a thousand people in there at every time I go in. That is you can say it's 20 people in there. I don't know what someone said. A thousand people that can't hold a thousand people. So I just want to ask you guys to give Deedee her license back. Thank you. Thank you for your time next week, please. Good evening. I just wanted to say that for me. You start with your name, sir. Can I remain nameless? Is that fine or. I don't think so. My name as a hearing. We're going to have Joe Taylor. Thank you. And I just want to say that for an average Joe like me, I'm a working man. I work every day. I've made it through all this rough neighborhood. That's all. That neighborhood ain't rough basketball for what they're talking about, in my opinion. But through all this, I've not heard one time where there has been any arrests made directly because of somebody doing something at the bar, that murder. They want to talk about that stab and all this stuff. We're not directly linked to the bar. So in order of fairness, we talk about American dreams here. We are given $80,000 for VIP records, which I'm all with that. But we're taking this lady's livelihood and other people's livelihood. This is a serious situation. And I understand I'm a homeowner also. I understand that it could be things that could be a nuisance, but I just think that we should be able to come to some kind of medium to where because we're are the police. If if, if, if all this problem is, why haven't there been any arrest in that neighborhood directly connected to Meeko Sports Lounge? He has a video where we have who knows what, how he got it or how he doctored that up. But why haven't the police arrested whoever he was yelling at, whoever if that guy was committing the crime? But last time I heard yelling, it's really not a crime. So I'm just here, like I say, rather than Average Joe as a safe place for me to go and to have a cocktail after drink and on the weekends, whatever, catch my own or whatever, I feel safe there. I'm pretty sure the people that go there feel safe there. And I've heard about no property damage. I mean, they have a couple of cops don't punish everybody for a few people's bad actions after a few bad experiences. The shooting two years ago was I have to do it now. Once they all say rectify the situation, we're not hearing about anything that was current. I haven't heard about anything. A 2017 The last thing I think they said on a record with something like April or some 2016, that's still over a year ago. So I'm just saying try to if you think about it, try to give her at least. A way to rectify the situation. And I know council, you guys have all kind of other stuff on your agenda. It might not be important to you, but for an average Joe, that's important to me. Just like where these people are, if they are guilty for that. Just like for those people, then to prove it. That's not prove, though. Just some video, some guy made up. And then they didn't even give her a chance to defend herself against that video. So if we Americans let's be fair, let's give her at least the opportunity to defend herself and have all the evidence that's being brought against her in her bar so she can take it to her counsel. And because that video come on, look, that that that was kind of doctored up. I mean, anybody can tell that, but I don't know how it works. But I'm just saying, like I said, I'm representing Average Joe. My time has come in and I just think that you should give her a fair chance. We are Americans. Let's be American. Get ready for a fair chance. Thank you. Thank you. Next big, please. Hello. My name is Monisha Israel and I am a bartender at Mika's Sports Lounge. First of all. I have butterflies in my stomach. I'm so. This means a. Lot. So, I mean, this is my only job. I have been there. On May 7th, seventh, I celebrate my three year anniversary. And because I was there during the debate, the initial beginning. And from then to now is a completely different place. And I think that you should go by what it is now, not what happened two and a half years ago, because it's not like that anymore. All of that you saw on the tape, it's not like that. We don't have the time. We're closing early. I mean, I work there and it's not people it's not a lot of people that go there. We have our regular people that come and they've been coming and they want to continue to come and I want to continue to work. So with that being said, please vote for us to give Jessie her license. Right. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. My name is Race. Esther is president. Of the National Association for Equal Justice America, a national civil rights organization. We're very concerned about the allegations by Michael's sports analogies. One of the things that we're very concerned about is a defamation of her character under the 14th Amendment. She did not get due process or equal protection. Of the law like most businesses do. Number four, she did not get probation. In order to correct. The problems. Five Ms.. Fiancee's witnesses was not credible, but witnesses that the city used was all credible. Credible. That doesn't sound. Right to me as a national civil rights president. ABC came by 16 times and. Found nothing wrong. Results of this The city took her business license. She has a right to make a living. It's not a privilege. In America, we feel that it's a human rights violation as a civil rights group and a lot of people know me as a national authorized president, we wouldn't be here. She's a member of organization, and we wouldn't be here if she didn't get due process protection of the law. One of the things that that we were concerned about is, is. We should all try to get along this lady. That's money in her business. And she has a right to make a living, have a right to have shelter. And it's not a privilege. Is it national civil rights? The defamation of a character is something that we look at, a civil rights group. One of the things that we did in Culver City, we had a big problem with the police department and we brought. People down there, too. But there are hiring practices where I think what we're doing, we're trying her on her priors and not what's happening currently and the person that no laws. We're very concerned about that. She has a right to own a business in America. I'm not saying it's racism, but I'm saying that it's something that we need. To look at. And everyone deserves due process. Equal protection of the law. As a national civil rights group. I don't care what color you are. We have a moral nature. If you miss that, our members will come after you. Thanks a lot. Thank you for your time. Next week, a police. Excuse me. Good afternoon, counsel. My name is Jonathan Taylor. I'm a justice advocate with the National Association for Equal Justice of America, along with Mr. Esters, who is the president of the organization. I am as he is, we're new to this issue with Ms.. Yancey Bar and all that were due to this particular incident. We're not new to issues of unfairness, of an injustice, I would say, to the fine neighbors that surround that bar. It's unfortunate that the disagreement seems to have become so personal against Ms.. Yancey I would say this when I was able to visit the location of that bar last week, what stuck out in my mind is that 500 feet south of Mrs. Yancey, there's a building there that has a large sign open all over it, saying they're getting ready to open a bar called a parlor or lap. 500 feet west of here, there's a liquor store that stays open, 24 hour closes at 2:00. It just seems to me it just seems to me that and from what I've heard here today, that there's been a bar, that location for the last 30 years, it seems to me that the city believes that that location is an appropriate place for a bar. That street is terribly, terribly busy. And if indeed that street and that location is not suitable for a bar, then maybe the city may need to consider rezoning that portion of that street so no one can open a bar there. Not necessarily just Ms.. Yancey, it just has with those things that just has the appearance of unfairness. This this city has a rich history. It markets itself as an international city. And when you're an international city, you've been very important to the development of the American society. The Navy was based here during World War Two, and our country took on the shape of being the power that it is from World War Two. You have a woman, a black woman, the only woman in this city. She's fortunate enough to own a bar. I'm not going to call these fine neighbors races at all. I'm not going to call you racist at all. But it is a fact of life that in our society, certain people aren't welcome, certain places. That's just a fact of life. But I would also say to the neighbors, I myself am used to living in places that aren't tenable. I would simply suggest to you in the matter of Ms.. Yancey, try something different. Postpone the revocation of her license for 90 days. Allow her to form a a sit down relationship with some members of the police department, some members of this neighborhood council, and certainly under the guidance of the police department and with considering the question of the neighbors, certainly some kind of and minimal operating formula can be considered. And I would suggest that there's always the opportunity to closer, but at least provide 90 more days and allow that kind of coalition to take place. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. Next speaker, please. Hi. My name is Bobby Richardson, Jr. I want to start off by saying I love you, Dee Dee. We're here because I want to believe it's a misunderstanding, because the people who are talking bad about Deedee and saying all these things that she's not owning up to. Kind of. But we continue, sir. She just do me. I it. I just think that they. They, like I said before when I was here, that if everybody gets a chance to sit down and understand one another instead of passing judgment because of someone else's ignorance. Any bar that you go to in that area or any area you go to, whether it's Orange County or Long Beach, you're going to have some ignorant people while they're drinking that don't necessarily mean it's her fault. And when these people are talking about her, they're they're speaking so personal about her as if they know her. And she's completely the opposite person. Just like Bill got up here and said he feels uncomfortable. He's he's a gay man. He feels uncomfortable the way that the neighbors are treating him when he comes to our bar. And I live in Paris, California. I'm a longshoreman. I've been on her 20 years. When I get off work. I like to go there, too. That 91 traffic died down. And then I get on the freeway and go home and then door going out. That time is when I built the relationship with Didi and it's crazy because my dad worked for Boeing and he used to go buy tables. That was his spot to sit at to go let the traffic die down. So he asked me one day, where you go? I said, I go buy me goes. He said, lets me go. I said, Did he ever see all that? And he got scratching his head. He said, yes. He said, I know our dad. So remember Didi when I came in, actually. That to me was like, okay, damn, I'm. I'm sorry. Walking in my pop's footsteps were like, he retired from from bowling, which is Donald Douglas. And I'm gonna retire from the longshoreman. But we doing the same things, and I'll never even know it. But he chose that bar, and I'm choosing her bar. And like I told you guys before, if you all took the time to come in there and get to know the people that's in there, not the people, that's the ignorant people that's outside the bar. When it's almost 2:00 in, the bar is closing and everybody's drunk. Those are the people that are singing and those are not the people that's in there every day. We know each other on a first name basis, first name, but it's like, cheers, a TV show. I'm sure all y'all on and watched. All y'all don't watch. That's how we are, amigos. Don't judge us like that. Thank you, sir. I give a few more minutes because you got interrupted. But thank you for your time. I'm good. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good evening, counsel. My name is Jermaine. I was born and raised here in Long Beach. I'm a photojournalist for a Long Beach Times newspaper and. Also a Freemason. It's just strange to me how when a person owns a. Business, how they could be blamed for something that's. That happens outside of their business. And they they put the blame on her. When you have mass shootings at schools, are the schools responsible for the shootings that happened there or the mass shootings that happen at the post office? Was the post office responsible for that shooting? Should they be accountable? I think not. The problem here, your own counsel, is the problem of a person trying to own a business or trying to have a livelihood. When I was young businesses, black businesses were all throughout Long Beach. So the questions used to be asked to me, What do you want to be when you grow up? I used to say a fireman, police officer or a business owner. The question never came to me a president because I never seen a president. Now, 2017, the questions asked to children. What do you want to be when you grow up? They say a policeman, fireman or a president, not a business owner. So something right there is wrong to me. Here in Long Beach, I'm a business owner, but I had to move my business outside of Long Beach. Just have a successful business. I'm born. Raised here in Long Beach. Ex-gang member, ex-drug dealer, ex-convict. But I chose to choose life up to better myself, making sports bars a place where we can all go and enjoy ourselves. A lot of ex-gang members do go here. A lot of ex-drug dealers do go there. But one thing that we do have is family, a community, a family that we used to have here in Long Beach. We have a lot of places we can go to the Hutch Grant or grant, a Grand Central Station. We had Lucy's go to Saint Lucy's on the West Side. We even had Melody's dance hall in Pacific. But we have nothing to go to nowadays. Absolutely nothing. So what is a community to do when they have nothing to do? They turn to violence, drug sales or anything like that. It's a pattern. It's a fact. It's not something that somebody made up in a storybook or nothing like that. All you have to do is look at the numbers and facts. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you, sir. Next speaker, please. Good evening. My name is Susan Redfield and I live with my husband in the 2500 block of Main Avenue down the block from the bar. I'm representing my husband who is handicapped and bedridden. I am in favor of keeping the license from the bar owner. I do not take this revocation request lightly, but my life and the others in my neighborhood have been in turmoil on too many occasions. And after three years of following the rules, this is the last resort from when Mika's first opened. There were problems on the weekends when we were awakened regularly by loud screaming. After midnight, cars raced down the block with music blaring and other unfriendly and frightening elements of disregard to this quiet family neighborhood. So in 2015, I began noting the dates when I was awakened. I kept a little log in the drawer next to my bed. I have a list of the dates. There are 23 of them between February and November. Then there was the Christmas shooting, of which you've heard too much. So I won't go into that. What you didn't see in the video that was shown was the vomiting in our bushes, the urinating and defecating on our lawns, drunk people falling down in the middle of the street and having to be carried away. Then there was the stabbing. I am now often faced. At night in my own home, I've been participating with the neighbors in a attempt to improve this situation. We've met with city leaders, the police at various homes, including my own. We've met at the police station. We've followed all the rules and regulations required in order to make our complaints known to the bar owner. To give her proper notice. To give notice to the bar. The building owner. Sorry, I'm a little nervous due to the building owner and notice to the police in the city. It's been three years. It's come to this point not in a whimsy, but after nearly three years of requesting, begging, pleading that the noise, the violence, the other illegal activities and outlandish behaviors stop. They violate the CFP and they violate my peaceful life. I should mention that that Councilman Wrangham and many neighbors met after the 2015 incident, and there was significant discussion about the financial cost to the city of Long Beach that this bar and its problems have caused. The number of police that have been times the police have been called had to come and check out the situation, meet with neighbors, attend hearings. The Planning Commission hearing was 10 hours long. The eviction hearing had a 17 page report. This is not how a should a city should have to manage its business affairs. I want to close by saying that this neighborhood, my neighborhood is relatively reflective of all that makes Long Beach great. It's a mix of young and old families and singles, diverse in all ways. That's what I love about it. My issue is with makos and it's total disregard for our well-being, and it's unreasonable interference with my family's peace and safety. Thank you, Susan. Next, Peter, please. Hello again. I'm Dana Dedmon. I live across the street from Michael's. This is the sixth time I've either spoken publicly or testified on this matter. And my third time in front of you, the first time I was at this podium was on March 17th, 2015. I urge you to deny me IQOS a permanent entertainment permit because the window rattling music from the bar was keeping me awake at night because of overwhelmingly negative comments by me and others. You voted to deny the permit. The second time I spoke to you was on August 9th, 2016. I asked that you approve the Long Beach Police Department's recommendation to revoke the bar's business license. You voted to send the matter to the Planning Commission. Next, I spoke at the nine hour City Planning Commission hearing on November 3rd and fourth, 2016. I testified about the bar's negative impact on neighboring property values. This was evidenced by the under market value sale price of the house directly behind the bar. Your planning commission found the bar to be a nuisance and voted to revoke the business license and conditional use permit. On March 15th, 2017. I testified before the special hearing officer who was appointed to hear the bar's bar owners appeal. During that hearing, I was cross-examined by lawyers for the bar owner and the building owner. The hearing officer found the evidence credible and upheld the revocation of the licenses. My latest testimony was April 5th, 2017, at the Superior Court regarding an unlawful detainer action against Migos. The court found that, quote, Nichols has been operated in a manner that makes it a public nuisance, unquote. The building owner was awarded his property back to summarize. You voted to deny the bar a permanent entertainment license. You voted to let the Planning Commission decide if the business license should be revoked. The Planning Commission determined the bar was a nuisance and revoked its business license and conditional use permit. The hearing officer ruled, quote, The operation of Michael's at the property is a public nuisance within the meaning of the Long Beach municipal code, unquote. He upheld the decision to revoke Michael's licenses. And finally, Judge Douglas Stern of the Superior Court evicted me. Cos now I stand before you. Two years and two months later, to remind you that my neighbors and I and many city departments have devoted thousands of hours to this effort. We want assurance of peaceful enjoyment of our homes. We do not want to go through this again. Michael's can no longer occupy 710 West Willow, but your constituents in other parts of the city should not have to go through what we have gone through. Do the right thing. Deny this appeal. Thank you. And I see Larry is there. If there are any other speakers, please line up. But gentlemen, the blue jacket is the final speaker. Thank you. Proceed. Okay. My name is Michael Anthony Harp. I am a resident of Long Beach. First of all, I'm really upset and appalled by number one. Susan is right next door to me. She is my neighbor. We still speak on a daily basis. To one another. Even though she sees different from what I see. Two. Didi is a new business owner. She should have the right to. Of course, it's going to be a minute before she gets her feet on the ground. That's with any any pert, any establishment. There's all kind of stubbornness up below, back and forth, down the way, up the way. You're not picking on them. Whoever is doing the picking, you're not picking on them. I don't see what the problem is. And for these people to have all these. Outrageous. Criticisms about Michael's. I don't see it. I don't get it. I understand. My cousin Stephen. Because he he he's going through what he's going through. I can understand that about him being in bed at 10:00 or whatever. Okay. But. I've walked. Down the street at ten. After ten, 11, 12 went to the liquor store. There are a lot of homeless people not to blame homeless people because they're pretty good people, too. As far as I'm concerned. But they go down the alleys. Loud music, sleeping in the alleyways. There's a whole lot of stuff going on with them as well. So. Oh, boy, boy, oh, boy, boy, boy, boy. I don't even know where to begin with this, though, because it don't make no sense. I don't understand why we can't get along as one come to some type of conclusion or an agreement and make things happen. We shouldn't have to be fighting and wanting to close down makos. They don't make no sense to me. It just don't make no sense. The Andrews. I'm his godson. He knows me, and he knows me as well. I don't. I'm just going to cut it down. But I say my vote is to keep Michael's open. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Larry could never have been in his place. But seven words, this does not pass the smell test. Thank you. Next speaker, please. My name is Roman. It seems to me. Nobody is talking. They've got. They've given up. It's what it looks like. The residents and the the bar owner there, everybody's talking on different levels. And I know that from my talks with Elizabeth Griffin, who's the most for the police, that the city is short staffed, a lot of police. And I noticed that there's also we're having meetings regarding density that's taking place. And it just appears that when you have housing right on top of a bar, that really is going to create problems. I mean, just generically and I know you've had a property bar. There for 30 years prior is what it. Seems like. But in this occasion it appears that they are the bar owner has got a lot of a lot more people that are coming in to her bar. And so, I mean, I realize that there's also been some violations of what appears entertainment stuff. And I don't know a lot of the details, but I have looked at the video and I know a lot of people are saying, wow, that's bad. But I actually can't tell that much what's taking place. Maybe my eyes are got to clean my glasses or whatever, but I don't I don't see a lot. But I just know that the residents are so angry at the noise. And I can completely understand that if you have that much noise, you're just trying to sleep or relax or do something with your kids. It's insane. But at the same time, I think there's some kind of a lesson that can be learned long term from the city, by the way, that it's planning and what it's doing. We have a lot of density, a lot of parking issues, a lot of problems there that maybe could have been solved had we planned the area better. And that's all I'm saying. As far as the permitting goes, I would like to see it a due process for everyone. And I don't mean this just for because someone is of the certain race, but I think everybody should be presented a all the information that's against them and they should be able to to address each and every one. And and although I know that the residents don't want to have an appeal, I do think that there is some kind of an appeal that should be done just so they can address some of those issues in a formal. Way, each. One, one by one. Because I understand things like there was a shooting, but it wasn't at the bar, was across the street. That's where it was generated. I mean, little things like that, little nuances may need to be addressed. I mean, I'm just putting that out there. That's what I'm thinking and that's where I'm going to stay. Thank you. So that concludes public comment. We are going to close the hearing and move it the discussion back behind the rail. Before I go to Councilmember Durango, I want to just address the video that's brought up. So the purpose of this hearing is very specific and very narrow, is to determine if the recommended action by the Planning Commission is appropriate. I stopped the video because the language that was in the video, I thought, you know, we got the message and it was a bit inappropriate. And for the viewers to hear some of that language and I do understand and sensitive to the residents may have dealt with that themselves, but it was my prerogative, the chair, to say , I think we've heard enough when we heard certain language being used, language that I don't allow in my home. So so that's why I stopped that. And one question for staff before I go to Councilmember Urunga, did we follow all appropriate noticing thresholds and requirements before arriving to today? Yes. Okay. Councilmember Durango. Thank you. Vice Mayor Richardson, this hearing is part of a lengthy process. It wasn't easy, and it's one of the most difficult decisions that city council has to address are issues like this. It's never easy to hear testimony on both sides regarding the validity or not of a proprietor running a business and how they run that business. The process was complaints filed, sent to the nuisance abatement people. Our department monitored noise, police department involvement, police calls, visits by vice, visits by poor planning department. And then it goes to the planning. It goes to the city council. We refer it to the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission heard all the testimony of everybody on both sides. It made its recommendation. There is appeal. It is sent to a ALJ, which is a reminder of the Chief Administrative Law Judge Legal and administrative law judge. The Administrative Law Judge hears again what the Commission heard, reviews all the material, receives all the testimony the same that that the Planning Commission made. And it's an independent ALJ like a judge. He makes his recommendation, and now we're here through the hearing. So having said all that, I just want to ask the city attorney and and Vice Mayor Richardson alluded to it. Has due process been followed? Have we done everything we possibly can up to this point to where we are now with this hearing? Councilman Urunga, I would in my estimation, I would say definitely yes. Not only was the process followed that you just described, but prior to that process, there was much interaction by various city departments in attempt to resolve the situation short of a revocation. As you know, and as you mentioned, a revocation is a fairly drastic measure that the city does not like to engage in. They like to short stop it by trying to get things to work out regardless of what the type of businesses that may be causing a nuisance in the neighborhood. There was outreach not only by the city prosecutor's office, the city attorney's office, the health department, the building department, the planning, the building and planning department, most certainly the police department, health department, all in an effort to get this into compliance so that they there would not be a necessity to take the next step, which was the revocation and many meetings, not only with the neighbors, but certainly with the property owner. The property owner, his wife attempts to meet with Mrs. Yancey. Ms.. Miss Yancey, numerous correspondences written to Ms.. Yancey, notifying her of the situation that it was existing out at the bar. So I don't remember if it was eight, nine or ten, our planning commission hearing a six hour hearing in front of the hearing officer and then tonight. So yes, due process was followed. Our process was followed. Are we talking about this situation here? But were there other legal issues concerning this location as well, that there was a case that went to a superior court? I think it was, or. So that that item is not technically part of tonight. But one of the speakers alluded to it because he testified apparently as a witness in that case. What he was referring to is that the property owner, Mr. Mackey, filed an unlawful detainer action in the Superior Court to have Mrs. Yancey removed from the premises. And the judge, who's a Superior Court judge at the courthouse next door, issued a lengthy opinion, which we've read and reviewed and did make a finding that a nuisance activity for chronic nuisance activity existed at that location to the extent that Mr. Mackey had the right to evict Ms.. Yancey from the premises, and the judge did order that. As far as I know, she's still there. There's another process that would be followed before she was locked out, so to speak. But there was a judgment entered against Ms.. Yancey for eviction. Now that we're talking about that. Can you clarify what the meaning is when you have a cup revocation? What's what's the consequences of a cup revocation? And what is a c, u p? So a copy is a conditional use permit and the city routinely requires a cup for those types of uses in the city that are more intensive type uses, the type that need a little bit more regulation. We have coupes with bars, bars and restaurants that have alcohol. Other facilities that serve alcohol are the ones that come before you more most often with the ups. We have check cashing that has sirups and other uses type that such as that type those types. So that's what a copy is. In this particular case, there was a copy that was issued to the property owner way back when, which allowed him to operate a bar at that location. The the the hearing before the Planning Commission involved both the revocation of the business license and the C up. I have no idea what the motivation was, but neither. Of the two parties, Miss Yancey, or the business owner chose to, or the property owner chose to appeal. The revocation of the CPD only appealed the revocation of the business license. So legally now no bar can be operated at that location. And I believe one of the witnesses testified, or maybe even since he testified, that the property owner is currently receiving citations from the city or has in the recent past received citations regarding operation without a copy. Maybe there is a strategic reason why the property owner chose not to appeal the CPA. I don't know. Okay. So Mr. Yancey made an application that she is still open. So is there a date certain when this up takes effect? Is it in effect now? She she claimed that she was allowed to continue to operate the business during this whole process, that. We didn't go to court to shut her down. But technically, the minute that the appeal period lapsed after the CFP was revoked, anybody that operated a bar out there was doing so illegally. And that continues through today. All right. Thank you. Well, we are here tonight tasked with whether to revoke the business license for the establishment due to numerous violations, including police calls for service noise violations, health department violations, illegal construction opening without a business license and hosting special events without an occasional event permit, among other allegations, including inadequate security and parking as required by the CFP. When Ms. Yancy applied for an entertainment permit from the City Council. At that hearing, I advised her to sit down with the neighbors and establish a working relationship and then come back and apply for another entertainment permit. To this day, after two years, Ms.. Yancy still refuses to meet with the neighbors under oath at the revocation hearing. Ms.. Yancy described the need to meet with neighbors as outside of her responsibility as a business owner. I met with Ms.. Yancy. Yes, I did. We met in my office with planning people, with the police department. And we talked about the need for her to reach out into the community, into her neighbors, to try to mitigate some of the issues that they were having and some of the disagreements, obviously, that they were having. She also communicated with my staff, which she indicates she did not. My staff is not my my check girl. Whatever. She she's my chief of staff. My staff reiterated the same suggestions that were brought up to her at our original meeting, which were to work on mitigating the concerns raised by the neighbors. And this included some basic suggestions, including keeping the back door closed, lower the volume of the music, and connect her video camera with the lounge police department to establish a line of communication with the neighbors and to establish a line of communication with the neighbors to this date. None of those suggestions were implemented. I want to touch on the video as well. I saw this video for the first time today as well. I hadn't seen it prior to today. I was amazed that that. Situation to agitate police and that these neighbors had to tolerate everything that was taking place there. I had the same emotion as Vice Mayor Richardson. However, it's fact and it's what you saw is what happened. The video was but a brief snapshot. Into what it was like for the neighbors on Maine Avenue and in the surrounding area. Sadly, this is what was occurring at the bar, and yet the business owner refused to meet with the neighbors to try to mitigate these conditions. I firmly believe that if we had reached a point of mitigation, we wouldn't be here tonight. And if the proprietor was willing to work with the city and the neighbors to find solutions on the ongoing issues, we wouldn't be here. This, in addition to this and finally this establish establishment is incompatible with the neighborhood, given its numerous calls for service and other violations. And I asked my colleagues to please support the motion on the floor. Thank you. And it's seconded by Councilwoman Gonzalez. Would you like to speak to your motion, your second? No. Okay. Thank you. Seeing no further council comment and we've already had a public comment. We will go ahead and cast our vote. Motion carries. Thank you. So now we have time for our public comment. I'm sorry. Go for it. I just like to say that the staff has some suggestions for Miss Yancey. It's not the end of the world in terms of getting a business license. You can apply for a new license after a year. If I'm not mistaken, can staff provide some additional recommendations as to what can happen from here on out? Yes. Thank you, Councilmember. And we would like to offer that, Ms.. Yancey, have the availability to sit down with our economic and property development department to see if there is assistance and have been through our business outreach efforts that we can provide. And we would be happy to make that connection and sit down and talk about what the city can do to help her with future small business endeavors . Thank you. Are you satisfied? Councilmember? Yes. Thank you. So at this point, we'll move forward with our public comment on non agenda items. We have Larry Goodhew, Mia Salas, Anthony Novella, Elayne Hutchinson. So with Larry Goodhue come forward, followed by Maria and then Anthony.