SHERMAN OAKS : Panel Denies Cafe’s Request on Parking

At the request of Los Angeles City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky’s office, a commission voted 4 to 0 Tuesday to deny a request by the Insomnia Cafe, a Sherman Oaks coffeehouse, for more time to find extra parking.

“Theoretically, the next step could be an order to close them,” said Vivian Rescalvo, a Yaroslavsky planning deputy, who successfully urged the city’s Building and Safety Commission to deny the extension request.

Yaroslavsky has allied himself with neighbors of the Ventura Boulevard cafe, who complain that the popular spot is too noisy and that its late-night crowds create disturbances.

The cafe needs eight more off-street parking slots to comply with city regulations, Rescalvo claimed.

Later, John Dunn, Insomnia’s owner, said he was on the verge of signing an agreement with a nearby property owner for the additional parking.

Meanwhile, Rescalvo said Yaroslavsky’s office is determined to reduce the cafe’s operating hours. To this end, the councilman is seeking to revoke Insomnia’s business license, she said.