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A last minute Community Board 12 vote to not support the renewal of a liquor license for Mamajuana Café has come too late.
The popular Dyckman Street restaurant, viewed by many as the epicenter of the noise problem on the street, has already had its license renewed for another two years.
That fact was unknown to board members at the June 22 general meeting, who were expected to table the controversial resolution for further review.
However board members feared that the SLA might act without hearing from residents if a vote was delayed.
A resolution was written on the spot and voted on in the final minutes of the hours-long meeting. Twenty members voted to not support the license, nine were in favor of a license and five abstained from voting.
Board Chair Pamela Palanque North said the fact that the SLA has already renewed Mamajuana’s license is frustrating.
“The reason we did that was to beat the clock,” she said, but added that such a circumstance is not unusual, and that the board only advises other official entities.
“The SLA will look at a lot of information that we don’t have,” she said.
Victor Osorio, an owner of Mamajuana Café, said the renewal has him feeling justified that he is doing what he needs to do.
He said his renewal was not granted as a matter of fact, but was held up until the SLA investigated the concerns on the street.
Indeed, at the request of elected officials, including Assembly Member Herman “Denny” Farrell, SLA Chairman Dennis Rosen personally toured the street during the day on June 15, and Osorio said there was a night time investigation as well.
Both agencies, the SLA and Consumer Affairs investigated his restaurant, Osorio said, though he wasn’t aware of when or how the investigations were conducted.
“I guess they saw what was causing the noise. We’re doing the best we can,” he said.
Osorio said he also met with the 34th Police Precinct’s new commander, Jose Navarro, at the beginning of June.
Navarro has taken a tough line on noise on the street, which he has called a “zoo” and a “parking lot” during the weekends.
“It was a very good meeting,” Osorio said. “He gave us a few tips which we are using. We’re following their advice.”
At the request of the precinct, Osorio has increased his security staff from four to seven, three of which are outside the restaurant. He said one is wearing an orange jacket to move double parked cars in front of the building.
He said he was hesitant to limit the hours of the outdoor café, which costs $15,000 a year and is only open for three months. But when Mamajuana closes, he said, instead of a mass exodus, people will be let out of the restaurant in groups. When the restaurant closes, the music will go off, and the lights will come up. Osorio said it’s working.
“We [have] the same amount of people, but now it’s more organized,” Osorio said.
North said that as of the day before their meeting, she understood that Navarro still objected to the restaurant’s renewal, but noted that the precinct had not issued any summons to the restaurant.
“We must consider that,” she said.
The restaurant and its neighbors are also getting personal attention from Council Member Robert Jackson.
Jackson told CB12 he met with the owners of Papasito, a new Mexican restaurant, which has close ties to the Mamajuana Café a few storefronts down, and has reached an agreement on reduced hours and limited seating in its sidewalk café.
Jackson said he walked down the strip late on a Friday night and saw the situation for himself first hand. Entering the fray, he pledged to work towards a similar agreement with Mamajuana, threatening the wrath of his political influence if they refused to cooperate. “If they don’t want to work with me, let the chips fall where they may,” he said.
Osorio said Jackson has already visited the restaurant, and is receptive to suggestions from the Council member.
“We told him yes, we will do it,” Osorio said. “If there’s anything we can do, tell us.”
Correction: An earlier version of this article state that Mamajuana Cafe has received a renewal for its sidewalk cafe license. It has not.
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