Eatery at Shack site approved

Alcohol permit, bar seating allowed at Sapphire restaurant.Sapphire is the new jewel to be added to the necklace of bars and restaurants that operate in the middle of town.

The planning commission on Wednesday approved the serving of hard liquor in a restaurant proposed at the former Pottery Shack site. Closing hours were set at 10:30 p.m. on week nights, 11 p.m. on weekends and 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. Opponents have 10 working days to appeal the approval.

Neighbors objected at the hearing to the approved closing time, and some would just as soon see no more hard liquor served in the area from Thalia Street to Bluebird Canyon Drive on South Coast Highway.

“At present there are 15 bars and restaurants in our neighborhood, and we feel that is enough,” said Tom Girvin, a founder of the Village Flatlanders Assn. “Beer and wine would be sufficient in a neighborhood saturated with alcohol, and 11 p.m. is too late even on weekends”

Chef Azmin Ghahreman said he would bring 22 years of experience to create affordable, family-style eating in Laguna.

“This is a really fun neighborhood,” resident Mary Carter said. “We have a lot of restaurants to go to and I am really looking forward to one more. I think 11 p.m. is reasonable, and I think a liquor license is reasonable. People should be able to have a martini.”

The restaurant, as approved, will have both inside and outside food and beverage service, with the bar deemphasized at the direction of the commission.

Food service must be available during the hours alcohol is served.

“I still have some concern about the size of the bar -- so if six months from now at 9 p.m. everybody is sitting around and having a drink with no food, you may lose your CUP [conditional-use permit],” Commissioner Bob Chapman said.

Sapphire’s permit was approved with 26 conditions, including a limit of no more than 112 seats -- 60 of them inside, 14 bar stools and 38 seats on two patios. There is a valet parking requirement. Live entertainment, dancing or a disc jockey are prohibited without a modification of the permit.

Sapphire’s operation will be reviewed for compliance six months after it opens.