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Fight Over North Park Bar Spills Into the Streets
EastGirl, Thanks for weighing in on this---only somebody that has experienced this kind of existence can truly relate---and although I understand you moving to quieter pastures (pun intended) that, to me, is the untimate defeat. That this kind of disturbance to everyday citizen's lives can drive us out of the homes we have worked hard for, paid a LOT of momey for, and love. Here by Bluefoot, and as a direct result of the lousy drunks they turn out, we have already lost one great neighbor, and after the disgustingly pro-business dedision of the Planning Commission, there are now two more families that are planning to leave. How tragically sad. And yes, we have written to Alcohol Beverage Control, local and state. They make a TON of money from liquor licenses, and are none to excited to investigate, or especially change policy. So they just continue to issue more and more licenses, no matter how concentrated the area is with them, and then claim that they're so understaffed that investigation is difficult, but they'll get back to you...... Meanwhile it's another Friday night coming up----more fun and games with Bluefoot!!— March 18, 2011 1:56 a.m.
Fight Over North Park Bar Spills Into the Streets
If I got "personal" with Adam Cook, it was only because he has gotten "personal" with the neighbors who have complained about his bar from the very start of the problem his bar has created. Despite the overwhelming number of residents who live in the area DIRECTLY AROUND BLUEFOOT BAR---read that statement again---(I'm not talking about people six blocks away, I'm not talking about people on 30th ST, which is a commercial corridor, I'm talking about people whose property abuts the Bluefoot property, those within visual distance, and those within the block or two of residential areas where the Bluefoot patrons park)--despite the fact that nearly all of them have come together and said there's a problem with this bar---Adam has singled out a handful of the most vocal of these and "personalized" his defense and any public testimony, calling them out by name, and doing his best to discredit them and make them look like nothing more than crabby complainers with nothing better to do. His patrons know where these "complainers" live, and there are harrassing shouts from these gutless patrons when they're safely speeding by in their cars. If you watched the Channel 10 news coverage of the planning Commission hearing, you saw Adam claiming "there's no proof these are my customers". Well, excuse me, but when every other business that serves or sells alcohol in that entire area are closed by midnight, most by 11:00 PM, just where are these Pukers, pissers, screamers, shouters, fighters, and inebriated drivers returning to their cars in front of all these neighbor's houses coming from? Get together and "talk" about how to solve problems? First, the bar owners are going to have to claim some of their crap and stop the denial. If you want to see some compelling video - the one that the Planning Commission didn't think was important enough to cut Bluefoot's hours a mere two hours, two nights a week, to comply with existing zoning, follow this link. It's a mere sampling of what the neighbors deal with now that Bluefoot has brought this self proclaimed wonderful change to this end of 30th St. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4rVDmw00jA— March 18, 2011 1:38 a.m.
Fight Over North Park Bar Spills Into the Streets
Another clue (maybe 1/2 a clue) re: North Park Main Street (BID)-Executive Director Liz Studebaker. That automatically puts her on the North Park Planning Committee Board, who DID recommend against Bluefoot's requested changes to their NUP renewal in November, but did so reluctantly, and only after residents introduced a letter from Vice Sergeant Linda Griffin stating that SDPD Vice was against any change in Bluefoot's operating conditions. She apologized to the Bluefoot gang that she really had to go along with the Police recommendation. She undoubtedly would have voted in their favor otherwise.— March 14, 2011 3:49 p.m.
Fight Over North Park Bar Spills Into the Streets
This comment was removed by the site staff.Fight Over North Park Bar Spills Into the Streets
The mistake was made by Marsha Kollins, at DSD. You might remember that name--also associated with the Sunroad Building in Kearny Mesa--the one that was granted a permit for three stories higher than zoning allowed? Well, Marsha was the scapegoat for that mess, and thrown under the bus, never to darken DSD's doorway again. Meanwhile, ABC has issued the 48 license relying on wrong information. Marcella Escobar-Eck, and David Vega, both of DSD promised to have this issue resolved in a timely manner. Bluefoot was sent a 'Cease and Desist" order to stop serving distilled spirits, and I was personally told by Robert Vacchi, Director of Code Compliance, that fines would continue to mount until Bluefoot complied with that order. This is sometime in 2007, two years after they opened. That's when the whole NUP application came into play, with DSD to this day defending the erroneous approval of that first NUP in 2008, saying that took care of all the mistakes and cover-ups prior. Oh, and those Code Violation fines that Bluefoot would have to pay no matter what? Those miraculously went away with the approval of their NUP as well. So it has been CYA band-aid after CYA band-aid by every City development department, the Planning Commission, and ABC stands in the clear with it's issuance of a full 48 license because of all those cover-up CYA band-aids the city has defended, renewed, and refused to retract undoubtedly because of the fear of a lawsuit, and because we have a 'Strong Mayor" system now, and the Mayor has basically told every city agency "HANDS OFF THE LIQUOR ENTITY" Is it any wonder the citizens have no faith in government? When the highest ruling body the people can appeal to ---The Planning Commission --- can view video of 1) the Doorman of Bluefoot beating people to the ground in the street, kicking them in the face, and inviting retaliation with guns by self proclaimed gang members, 2) witness a patron of Bluefoot throwing up repeatedly in front of a residents home, and then return to the bar, 3) patrons smashing a plate glass window just after leaving the bar, and 4) watch as the bar is cleared by security at 1:00 AM--a full hour before regular closing--and lock the doors and leave the crowd to finish their revelry in front of residents homes---- 5)have in-hand a petition signed by 150+ residents-- all in close proximity of the bar-- asking for a mere 4 hours a week that the bar close---Midnight on Friday and Saturday--- and they are completely disregarded, and the ruling is in favor of Bluefoot---because they wouldn't want to hurt their business---- Something is dreadfully wrong with our system and those that we trust to represent us. I wonder what Jay Turner will have to say about the fantastic influence and draw that Bluefoot has had on this formerly 'horrible' end of 30th St. when the party atmosphere fostered by bars such as Bluefoot sends the area back into the blighted conditions of 20 years ago?— March 13, 2011 2:22 p.m.