Planning commissioners in Manhattan Beach, California, will weigh a use permit amendment for Parakeet Café at their Oct. 28 meeting. The proposal would consolidate the former Un Caffè Altamura space at 1140 Highland Ave. into a restaurant-only operation, and it would also legalize construction completed without permits by an earlier tenant.
What the Expansion Would Change
According to a staff report, the previous 1,997-square-foot premises included 1,164 square feet of restaurant space and 833 square feet of retail space. Under the plan, the entire area would become restaurant use, with a 75-square-foot addition bringing the total to 2,072 square feet. Planned work includes an expanded dining area, new kitchen facilities, remodeled bathrooms, added storage, a walk-in cooler and a new trash enclosure.
The Unpermitted Addition
City review found that a previous tenant converted retail space to restaurant use and built the roughly 75-square-foot addition on the southern side of the building, adjoining Center Place, without the required approvals. The staff report states that Parakeet Café did not carry out that work and is now seeking the permits needed to bring the premises into compliance.
Limits and Next Steps
Planning staff concluded that the total building floor area of 5,970 square feet would fall below the 6,750-square-foot maximum, and that the project would not increase the existing five-space parking requirement. Operating hours and beer-and-wine privileges would stay unchanged. If commissioners approve the amendment, the café would still need building permits and completed improvements before it opens, and the city's materials do not identify an opening date.