Agoura party venue undergoes another change

Carlos Orozco, owner of the Rockin' Steakhouse in Agoura Hills, lost an appeal to expand his restaurant, previously known as Señor Carlos Grill and Tequila Lounge.

The City Council denied an earlier planning commission permit amendment that allowed a larger stage and dance floor at the 30315 Canwood Street entertainment venue.

The city has received complaints about go-go dancers, noise, loitering and other nuisances at the lounge. Officials monitored the business and observed the violations.

The amended permit would have allowed Orozco to expand the dance floor to 120 square feet and the stage to 96 square feet, smaller than what Orozco had proposed. Sound buffers were required to reduce the noise that affected the surrounding neighborhood.

Orozco said during his appeal hearing that he would be willing to drop all entertainment options.

If some residents had their way, the restaurant and lounge would be shut down altogether.

Mary Weisbrock, president of Save Open Space, wants Orozco's permit revoked on grounds that he has violated the conditions of his permit. She said the character and nature of the restaurant change significantly after 9 p.m.

Neighbor Gail Kagen said she is awaken by patrons leaving the lounge in large groups.

Steven Iceland, an Oak Park resident who operates a dental office on Reyes Adobe Road adjacent to the plaza, said that while the noise doesn't bother him, he admits to having a "security problem." He said his office has been broken into three times, and two of the times sheriff's deputies traced the incidents to drinking at the restaurant. He said there has also been an increase of graffiti on his building since the restaurant/ lounge opened.

Cynthia Bartholomay, whose home backs up to the mall on Canwood, said in "no way, shape or form" did she want to put Orozco out of business, but said she was equally adamant that he should not be allowed to operate a lounge after dining hours are over.

"(Agoura Hills) is not a . . . party town," Bartholomay said.

City Council members grappled with details of the permit and how to allow the business to operate without shutting it down.

"We did not come at this from a (confrontational) standpoint or as if facing revocation," said Chuck Cohen, Orozco's attorney. He said Orozco agreed to all the changes, from offering menu items until closing, adding security, and moving the stage and dance floor to the middle of the building and away from windows.

Sandy Smith, former mayor of the city of Ventura, testified on Orozco's behalf. He said there have been no complaints from neighbors since January.

"He has a fairly clean bill of health," Smith said.

Orozco said he wanted to introduce blues and jazz music at the restaurant and had also included an option for a salsa dance instructor in the permit.

Councilmember Bill Koehler asked Orozco about the adulttype entertainment he had previously hosted. The flier that was distributed depicted "scantily clad women" and the possibility of "floor shows," Koehler said.

Orozco said the people he hired to advertise made mistakes.

"I'm open to suggestions, I just want to get his over with," Orozco said.

Lt. Steve Smith from Lost Hills Sheriff's Station told council members that historically nightclubs in Agoura Hills are on Agoura Road, and noise is the most common complaint.

"Nightclubs create a number of problems," Smith said. The risk of sexual assaults are higher when people have "overindulged" in alcoholic beverages. Drivingundertheinfluence violations also increase, and crowd control becomes a problem, he said. Fights break out, and the overflow of cars into residential neighborhoods is more difficult to control, he said.

The City Council voted 5-0 to appeal Orozco's most recent conditional use permit.