Beer and Wine on Tap for Neighborhood Council Committee

Echo Park residents are always ready to debate whether the area needs more businesses serving alcohol.

The e is just one example.

Wednesday night's scheduled meeting of the planning committte of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood council is another.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the St. Paul Cathedral Center, 840 North Echo Park Avenue.

Thien Ho of will be asking for the committee's support for the sale of beer and wine at the popular Vietnamese restaurant.

Representatives from 7-11 will also ask for similar help regarding a proposed convenience store at a 1550 North Glendale Blvd. minimall. 

7-11 representatives made an informational presentation before the full neighborhood council in March.  Celso Martinez, a consultant for 7-11, explained what would be involved and how the site would be configured for the store.

At that meeting, several Echo Park residents expressed opposition to the store and the fact beer and wine would be sold there.They encouraged 7-11 to explore ways of opening without a beer and wine license.

But, according to the Eastsider LA, 7-11 now feels it cannot operate effectively at the location without one.

Neighborhood council Chair Jose Sigala told Echo Park Patch that a number of actions are possible: "1) support the request, 2) oppose the request, 3) support with conditions or 4) continue the item to a future meeting for further discussion."

Sigala has also been floating the idea of an  "alcohol zone"  for a while. This would limit alcohol-serving businesses to a predesignated area in Echo Park but would require authorization from the city planning department.

The idea is a response to the growing number of businesses along Sunset Boulevard with liquor and/or beer and wine licenses.

The council's recommendations, of course, are only advisory, but they do count for a lot.  The state and city permitting agencies are the final decisionmakers.