Dit of Virginia (restaurant); licensee John T. Sanchez, 623 N. 25th St., Richmond 23223

This info from RichmondGov.com. The electronic paper is numbered 2007-239 if anyone is interested and can navigate the city site.

And quit it with the “love it or leave it” schtick!

BTW, different people like their news served differently. Some order up USA Today. Others fancy the Wall Street Journal. Still others go for your Brick weeklies. Etc. If you don’t like what you read here, read elsewhere, but chill on those of us that don’t mind putting questions and views out there and seeing what news and views might come back.

Hey Grrr — how many threads have you been able to get ‘sharpened sticks’ into the conversation — thanks for the running laugh. :-)

rj: I have always thought and will continue to think that Style magazine is the biggest piece of s–t ad rag around AND with major attitude. And yes, the local news is filled with “happy talk” and crap. I am not referring to those entities. Seems like the “People’s” (and participants) shouldn’t take itself so seriously. Old one: You think this is a traditional newspaper? There’s the real laugh! Better start taking your Alzheimer’s meds again.

And, yes, this note is really from the Mayor’s office. If you need proof, I suppose I can scan it and send it to John, who could then verify its authenticity.

Isn’t there someone down there who can correct the typos in a letter before sending it???? Or is that note really from the Mayor’s office????

Old

Dear Mr. *****

Thank you for your recent email on behalf of Mr. John Sanchez, owner of Que Pasa restaurant.

As do you, the City of Richmond (“City”) applauds Mr. Sanchez’s desire to bring business opportunities to the City, and welcomes the new dining option he is poised to offer its Church Hill residents in particular.

Indeed, in spite of Mr. Sanchez’s assertion to the contrary, the City has stood to assist him in this business venture. Unfortunately, Mr. Sanchez failed to plan and time the development of his business so as to maximize the assistance the City could have provided to him. (Whether he admits it or not, it is his failure that he is the root of the frustration he has publicly voiced to the delay in opening his establishment.)

In Spring 2006, a member of the Mayor’s staff put Mr. Sanchez in touch with the City’s Real Estate Office to facilitate his request to lease parking spaces for his proposed restaurant. At that time, Mr. Sanchez represented that his restaurant was to be an 837 square feet take-out restaurant. On his representation, the City Council granted a special use permit to allow the City to lease parking spaces to Mr. Sanchez. (Even for the limited number of parking spaces, Mr. Sanchez was initially required to have, he has never executed the lease for them.)

After City approval had been granted to Mr. Sanchez for his take-out restaurant and request for parking spaces, he changed his mind and decided to change the use of the building so as to use the first and second floor as a dine-in restaurant.

A dine-in restaurant facility has different parking requirements than does a take-out restaurant facility. Mr. Sanchez was informed of these facts, and was also informed that the change he now desired to make to his restaurant would have to go before the Board of Zoning Appeals or to acquire another Special Use Permit from the City Council. Mr. Sanchez has chosen to characterize this requirement as being unfair, and particular to him. It is not.

The City strives to apply the zoning rules and requirements impartially to all applicants. The City employs the same process for everyone. And, notwithstanding our collective excitement for the (delayed) opening of Que Pasa, Mr. Sanchez’s must follow the rules and process that are in place, and have been in place since he initially approached the City with his original plans.

That you for sharing your comments. I join you in hope that Que Pasa is a successful addition to the Church Hill community and the City of Richmond.

Old

Does anyone know if Mr. Sanchez has applied for an ABC license?

If he hasn’t, someone might want to tell him that’s it’s not an overnight process, especially if neighborhood objections arise.

We’d all (I think) like to see a restaurant there, and I think it’s funny how, on this site, a former fish market has turned into a fish tale! Gossiping over the cyper-fence if you will.

If the point is to be of service to the community, it would be much more helpful if threads like these posted all of the facts up front (some research) so that participants can engage in a more productive discussion. It seems that without all the facts, these threads just turn into hearsay and venting fits; it’s just Church Hill People Gossip. Which is fine, if that’s what you want, just don’t call it “news.”

Completely Agree!

I’m just offering suggestions based on the idea that finances may be tight (hence the comment above aboe being able to pay employees). I agree that McGuire Woods and Hirschler Fleischer would be good choices if they are realistic options. I have no axe to grind here. I’d just like to see this restaurant open for business.

Section 18 of the lease agreement concerns defaulting on the lease. Did the lessee (Que Pasa) or lessor (City) default on the agreement?

If the city has defaulted on the agreement, there is nothing in the agreement that really protects Que Pasa. It just says that they can work out a reduction in rent on the property if appropriate – which obviously it is not.

Could be lawyer time, or just bite it and file for the SUP. The latter being more expeditious, more predictable and least expensive.

To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, William E. Harrell, on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Parking Lease Agreement between DIT of Virginia and the City of Richmond concerning the use of fifteen (15) spaces in the parking lot located at 701 North 25th Street. {Land Use, Housing and Transportation – November 21, 2006}

(I found this via this page on the city website. Props to the city for making that available.)

This is important, because if there is an ordinance, then it’s a done deal and all this stuff is just nonsense. If not…

Again, cite the ordinance, when it was passed and who was the patron. Anybody?

“When we told the city that we want chairs, that’s when we drove off a cliff,” Sanchez said.

Let’s see, do I have this right? You knew about the parking requirements, waited to tell the city after the intitial building permit that you were going to be a sit-down restaurant rather than take-out, and you’re pissed at the city?

Sounds like some really poor planning, and lack of business capital is what’s going to keep you out of business, not the city.