Even though the City Attorney’s office filed a motion in court on Thursday dismissing the case against Albert Mizrahi, the deceased owner of the Larchmont Bungalow Restaurant, the case against Mizrahi’s corporation, which owns and operates the restaurant, continues.
“We have dismissed the case against the decedent, but the case is continuing with ongoing parties to the property,” said Serena Christion, Deputy City Attorney who has been prosecuting the criminal case against the Bungalow, dating back to 2007.
Officials from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety made an inspection to the property on March 28 and issued an order to comply with the building code that prohibits tables and chairs inside the illegal restaurant. The Certificate of Occupancy for the Bungalow was revoked and 2007 and it has been operating without one since then.
When asked the status of the case, Richard Hirsh, on of the attorneys for the Mizrahi corporation, told Judge Elizabeth Harris that the restaurant, which is currently on probation, was working with the city to comply with the regulations and would either close or comply by August 7, 2017.
In February of 2016, Albert Mizrahi, owner of the Larchmont Bungalow restaurant at 107 N Larchmont pleaded no contest to three counts in the criminal cases filed against him by the City of Los Angeles in 2010. In the deal with the City, which had charged Mizrahi and Larchmont Village Partners, Inc. with violating an order to comply with city codes, providing false information on required documentation, and operating without a permit, Mizrahi agreed to plead no contest in exchange for probation and suspending his sentencing for 18 months. During that time, he (or now, his heirs) must bring the illegal restaurant into compliance with City zoning codes, and agree to pay all the costs incurred by the City’s Department of Building and Safety to investigate and prosecute the case.
This is absurd. Why hasn’t the City sorted this out? Meanwhile other business comply with the requirements. Ridiculous.
TK is absolutely right: this is absurd. For ten years the Misrahi family has played games. Shameful.