Questions Remain Over Rockenwagner Bakery Plans for Brentwood

Questions remain unanswered to a zoning administrator's decision to approve proposed plans, including the sale of alcohol, for a Rockenwagner Bakery in Brentwood without addressing public concerns over parking, outside spacing and restrooms.

A public hearing on a citizen's appeal to the decision was held in West L.A. on April 3, but the agenda item was continued till May 1.

Rockenwagner Bakery, with locations in Santa Monica, Culver City and Venice, proposed to open its fourth location in a new building at 1168 Barrington Ave. near Wilshire Boulevard in Brentwood. In December, the business proposed going through the conditional use permit process to gain a liquor license.

According to City Planning, Rockenwagner proposes a 1,499-square-foot restaurant with a 728-foot outside patio area for 115 patrons total, including a 12-seat bar. The application proposes operating hours from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Brentwood Community Council (BCC) sent a letter Dec. 18, 2012 to the city zoning administrator saying it does not oppose the application, but wants key questions answered to then be put into a revision of Rockenwagner's plans. Those plans need oversight from the Department of Building and Safety.

Raymond Klein, co-chairman of the BCC Land Use Committee, as well as the appellant to the zoning administrator's decision, stated that parking for restaurant patrons and employees is the primary issue, per city code, with little to no offsite parking in the surrounding neighborhood.

The original plans submitted shows 15 parking spaces in the building ground floor level garage for restaurant patrons and employees, including four tandem spaces. At the time, the BCC said Rockenwagner did not provide a valet or validation for any offsite parking.

Klein's other concerns, in agreement with the BCC in the December letter, asked about correct usage for two proposed restrooms accessed through a vestibule outside of the restaurant, as well as the space and usage of the proposed courtyard seating area outside of restaurant.

At the April 2 BCC meeting, Klein said the questions and conditions in the December letter pertaining to city code violations still had not been addressed by the zoning administrator, hoping that they could be addressed by the Department of Building and Safety.

BCC Treasurer Bryan Gordon admitted during the April 2 meeting that he had seen revised floor plans from Rockenwagner and had not yet provided them to Klein. Gordon said Rockenwagner's latest plans showed extra parking from expanding the patio.

For more information on Rockenwagner, visit its website.

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