Abbot Kinney Blvd.

IN BRIEF: Gjelina Restaurant in Hot Water

The busy eatery at 1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd., at Milwood Avenue, is in danger of losing its permit to operate. At a hearing Sept. 30 before the West L.A. Planning Commission, it was found that the restaurant was seating 40 more customers than permitted.

Complaints from neighbors about parking and noise from live music on the patio were heard at the Oct. 19 Neighborhood Council meeting.

At that meeting, the Council’s board voted to ask the Planning Commission not to take action against the restaurant for eight months.

The topic became heated when co-owner Fran Camaj started yelling at one of the restaurant’s neighbors, Amy Alkon. She was shaking her head vigorously in opposition to Camaj’s statement that he had secured extra parking for the neighbors.

Camaj also told a Beachhead reporter that the valet parking place in front of the restaurant was legal. However, Mohammad Blorfroshan an engineer with the L.A. Dept. of Transportation told the Beachhead that painting the curb white was illegal since the restaurant had only been approved for a 6pm – midnight loading zone. He said that anyone could park in the spot during the day.

Meanwhile, the owners are seeking to add two more restaurants on Abbot Kinney. They are planning a pizza parlor next to Gjelina (same block as Abbot’s Pizza) and another restaurant on Abbot Kinney Blvd. at Santa Clara. A request for a car stacking permit has gone over like, well, a car stacking permit.