Residents dispute cafe plans

NEWPORT BEACH — A number of residents and business owners stood up at Thursday night’s Planning Commission meeting to protest a proposed move by the Panini Cafe to a new location on East Coast Highway, following several weeks in which petitions circled the Corona del Mar community seeking to block the transition.

At the meeting held in the city’s Council Chambers, representatives for Panini heralded the move as an improvement over the restaurant’s current location, which is smaller and lacks indoor and handicapped-accessible restrooms.

Others, however, argued that Panini would cause traffic and parking problems by moving to a block already crowded with restaurants.

“I’m speaking as a representative for people who suffer dearly from having restaurants grow larger and larger and larger,” said resident Lila Crespin, who co-wrote a petition decrying the addition of another alcohol-serving restaurant on the block.

The commission had not voted by deadline.

Massy Farzine, a principal for the real estate firm that represents Panini, cited the large number of letters the city had received from residents supporting the restaurant and its move. She said Panini’s lease in its current location might run out soon, and moving down the block might be the best hope of a permanent home in Corona del Mar.

“The people of Corona del Mar love their Panini, and I think they would be upset if we took that away from them,” she said.