Simone McFarland – Outlook Newspapers

January 16, 2021January 21, 2021

Burbank Threatens Defiant Restaurant With Permit Loss

Photo by Christian Leonard / Burbank Leader
Tinhorn Flats Saloon and Grill’s reopening of its outdoor patio in violation of county and state health orders brought the attention of news crews, supportive diners and frustrated residents. Now, the city is stepping in.

Nearly a month after the eatery announced it would serve diners in-person, despite prohibitive state health orders, Burbank officials have pledged to revoke Tinhorn Flats Saloon and Grill’s permit unless it complies.
Community development director Patrick Prescott issued a notice of violation to Baret Lepejian, owner of Tinhorn Flats, on Jan. 8, saying the restaurant must return to offering only delivery and take-out services and require all employees and patrons to wear face coverings by Tuesday. If Lepejian continues to keep his eatery’s outdoor patio open, the City Council will hold a public hearing to consider suspending or revoking Tinhorn Flats’ conditional use permit on Feb. 22.

December 12, 2020December 17, 2020

Deal for Housing for Homeless People Falls Through

Google image
A city official said this week that the city is no longer seeking to purchase the Scott Motel, which would have been rehabilitated and used for temporary homeless housing.

The city has withdrawn an offer to purchase the Scott Motel for use as transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness, a city official confirmed.
Burbank’s Community Development Department had presented the plan to the City Council in September, explaining that staff members hoped to purchase and arrange to rehabilitate the motel for $4.9 million, $2.8 million of which could potentially come from the state’s Project Roomkey grant program. The 11 units of the motel could then be used to temporarily house homeless individuals.
But when the expected property manager, the nonprofit Burbank Housing Corp., toured the property, its representatives “found a number of concerning items,” according to Simone McFarland, the city’s assistant community development director and communications manager.

September 26, 2020October 1, 2020

Netflix Leases Building Near Empire Center

Streaming service Netflix recently signed a lease for a new Burbank office, according to a news report.
The office is located at 2300 W. Empire Ave., near the Burbank Empire Center, said an article from real estate news website CoStar News on Monday. The site called the lease Netflix’s “most aggressive move into a territory dominated by its rivals.” A recent tweet from the official Burbank Twitter account called the newly leased space “Netflix’s first dedicated Animation studio.”
Netflix is leasing about 151,000 square feet, according to Simone McFarland, Burbank’s assistant community development director and communications manager, who said the “Media Capital of the World” has been working with the streamer on its leasing plans for months under “tenant improvements” and possible building adjustments.

August 1, 2020August 11, 2020

Youth Center Wins Share of Federal Grant

The City Council divvied up federal grant funds to several projects Tuesday, including programs for the homeless and the local Boys & Girls Club.
But the project that received the most comment from residents was the Burbank Youth Center’s solar panel installation, an initiative council members referenced frequently as they shuffled funds around, trying to determine where to allocate portions of the federal Community Development Block Grant.
In nearly all cases, project managers received less money than they requested — funding all the projects in the amount applied for would have put the city more than $350,000 over the line.
“Everybody’s in need. Everybody would like to have more money,” Councilman Jess Talamantes said during the panel’s meeting.
City staff members recommended that the council not issue any funds to the solar panel project for the BYC, an organization formed by the Armenian Cultural Foundation, believing the money could be better used for housing and homelessness initiatives.
But after about a dozen callers asked council members not to divert the grant from the BYC during the meeting’s public comment period, the council agreed to find funding elsewhere for the causes advocated by the staff.