AVALON HOTEL FOLLOWS STRICT GUIDELINES
Doreen Shenassa
October 27, 2004
THE HOTEL’S BAR AND RESTAURANT ARE UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF BEVERLY HILLS
The Avalon Hotel located in Beverly Hills at 9400 West Olympic Boulevard is a relaxing place to unwind, have a drink by the poolside lounge or dine in the blue and yellow-lighted open-air patio. Non-hotel guests are also welcome making the hotel busy every night of the week. It is especially convenient since there is no hassle getting into the modern-style luxury lounge. Everyone is welcome.
But there is a catch. Visitors must arrive by 11:00 pm in order to enter. There is no use trying to tip the bouncer or schmooze with the doorman.
At the Avalon, if it is 5 past the hour, and an individual arrives to meet a group of friends who are already inside, there is no hope for the lonely party-of-one who will be turned away. Guests may stay until closing once inside, but incoming visitors are not permitted to enter past 11pm.
I go to Avalon at least once a week.” Said Eran Lagstein, 31 a Los Angeles attorney. “I like the Avalon because it's classy, it's close to my house, and there’s a cool crowd. But I've been turned away a couple times and I have had friends turned away at the door a couple times which made me very angry.”
The hotel does not choose to reject people at the strike of 11; they are simply complying with tough guidelines imposed by Beverly Hills.
The city enforced a rare Conditional Use Permit (CUP) on the Avalon since its opening in 1999, due to the fact that it sits on the corner of Canon Drive and Olympic Boulevard, a residential area.
According to the state of California, a Conditional Use Permit allows a city or county to consider special uses which may be essential or desirable to a particular community, but which are not allowed as a matter of right within a zoning district, through a public hearing process. Another traditional purpose of the conditional use permit is to enable a municipality to control certain uses which could have detrimental effects on the community. Consideration of a CUP is a discretionary act. A CUP application tendered by a project proponent is considered at a public hearing and, if approved, is generally subject to a number of pertinent conditions of approval. Depending on local ordinance requirements, hearings are typically held by a board of zoning, the planning commission, or a zoning administrator. The owners of property near the site are sent advance notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing.
In addition to the 11pm deadline, the 16-page resolution by the Beverly Hills Planning Commission states that complementary valet parking must be provided to hotel guests, non-hotel guests, all restaurant patrons and to hotel employees at all times. Not bad for those who have trouble paying valet. Management is required to have visible signs by the driveway to inform guests that parking is free. The complimentary parking is to avoid commotion and traffic in the quiet residential neighborhood. Several nearby residents had no comment.
According to the resolution, the restaurant, including the bar and dining area, and the open-air dining, including poolside lounge “shall not admit patrons, including hotel guests after 11:00pm.” The hotel is not permitted to rent out space for parties nor is any live entertainment allowed in the outdoor dining area at any time. Their liquor license expires at midnight and on Sundays they close at 11pm. But Avalon-goers continue to love it.
I like going with a few friends to have a few drinks and sit around when the weather is nice, especially if I’m not in a club mood.” Said Sanaz Golshan, 25, Dental Hygenist at USC.
As the only hotel in Beverly Hills that is under such harsh scrutiny, the Avalon has no choice but to abide by the city ordinance even if it is a detriment to business.
The Avalon Hotel located in Beverly Hills at 9400 West Olympic Boulevard is a relaxing place to unwind, have a drink by the poolside lounge or dine in the blue and yellow-lighted open-air patio. Non-hotel guests are also welcome making the hotel busy every night of the week. It is especially convenient since there is no hassle getting into the modern-style luxury lounge. Everyone is welcome.
But there is a catch. Visitors must arrive by 11:00 pm in order to enter. There is no use trying to tip the bouncer or schmooze with the doorman.
At the Avalon, if it is 5 past the hour, and an individual arrives to meet a group of friends who are already inside, there is no hope for the lonely party-of-one who will be turned away. Guests may stay until closing once inside, but incoming visitors are not permitted to enter past 11pm.
I go to Avalon at least once a week.” Said Eran Lagstein, 31 a Los Angeles attorney. “I like the Avalon because it's classy, it's close to my house, and there’s a cool crowd. But I've been turned away a couple times and I have had friends turned away at the door a couple times which made me very angry.”
The hotel does not choose to reject people at the strike of 11; they are simply complying with tough guidelines imposed by Beverly Hills.
The city enforced a rare Conditional Use Permit (CUP) on the Avalon since its opening in 1999, due to the fact that it sits on the corner of Canon Drive and Olympic Boulevard, a residential area.
According to the state of California, a Conditional Use Permit allows a city or county to consider special uses which may be essential or desirable to a particular community, but which are not allowed as a matter of right within a zoning district, through a public hearing process. Another traditional purpose of the conditional use permit is to enable a municipality to control certain uses which could have detrimental effects on the community. Consideration of a CUP is a discretionary act. A CUP application tendered by a project proponent is considered at a public hearing and, if approved, is generally subject to a number of pertinent conditions of approval. Depending on local ordinance requirements, hearings are typically held by a board of zoning, the planning commission, or a zoning administrator. The owners of property near the site are sent advance notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing.
In addition to the 11pm deadline, the 16-page resolution by the Beverly Hills Planning Commission states that complementary valet parking must be provided to hotel guests, non-hotel guests, all restaurant patrons and to hotel employees at all times. Not bad for those who have trouble paying valet. Management is required to have visible signs by the driveway to inform guests that parking is free. The complimentary parking is to avoid commotion and traffic in the quiet residential neighborhood. Several nearby residents had no comment.
According to the resolution, the restaurant, including the bar and dining area, and the open-air dining, including poolside lounge “shall not admit patrons, including hotel guests after 11:00pm.” The hotel is not permitted to rent out space for parties nor is any live entertainment allowed in the outdoor dining area at any time. Their liquor license expires at midnight and on Sundays they close at 11pm. But Avalon-goers continue to love it.
I like going with a few friends to have a few drinks and sit around when the weather is nice, especially if I’m not in a club mood.” Said Sanaz Golshan, 25, Dental Hygenist at USC.
As the only hotel in Beverly Hills that is under such harsh scrutiny, the Avalon has no choice but to abide by the city ordinance even if it is a detriment to business.