Politics & Government

Update: Lift Lounge Faces Earlier Close Time

Owner Chip Cruz says he will fight ruling; downtown bar has until Jan. 4 to appeal Planning Commission action.

Update: Lift Lounge owner Chip Cruz says he will fight the city order to move up closing time at the lounge.

"We're going to fight it as much as we can," Cruz told KTVU-TV. "We're not going to lay down."

Lift Lounge & Grill on Locust Street has until Jan. 4 to appeal changes to its conditional use permit from the city Planning Commission, including an earlier closing time.

If there is an appeal, it would go to the City Council.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on complaints against Lift Lounge on Dec. 8. After the meeting, planning staff drafted formal language on the commission's resolution and sent it Dec. 19, giving the downtown lounge 10 business days (until Jan. 4) to appeal.

The commission, citing violations of the lounge's use permit, is ordering Lift to cease the sale of alcohol after 11:30 p.m. — moving it back an hour. The commission further requires "adequate security personnel for all hours of operation" and the monitoring of overflow patron lines outside the building.

The commission orders Lift to see that all employees receive training on alcohol and drugs from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The commission also orders a dress code, "which can exclude potential patrons whose outerwear can be reasonable deemed to be associated with gang membership."

One condition forbids live entertainment.
 
The document cites "repeated violations" of conditions of the permit, including

  • the sale and consumption of beverages beyond 12:30 a.m.
  • the failure to operate as a "bona fide eating place."
  • repeated police service calls including off-site consumption of alcohol and assaults, and the July 16, 2011 arrest of a Lift Lounge bouncer for the sale of a controlled substance.


The resolution restricting Lift Lounge passed by a 4-2 vote with commissioners Allan Moore and David Powell voting no.

Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here