Coffee Gallery Fundraiser Nets Enough to Pay for Permit

A Thursday fundraiser was successful enough that the Coffee Gallery, a popular Altadena coffee shop, will be able to pay for a county permit necessary to keep its performance space open.

The fundraiser, which was held at the Altadena Community Church Thursday and featured local musicians and performers, was a big help, said Julie Sandoval, the shop's owner.

"It was a success and we have enough to for the permit," Sandoval said.

The shop's troubles with complying with county codes may just be beginning though, she said: next year, the shop will need to come up with a parking permit for using street parking in the area, which will cost more than $8,000.  There may be more fundraisers on the horizon for the Coffee Gallery, as a result, Sandoval said.

The Coffee Gallery Front Stage hosts free open mic music, comedy, poetry and other shows on a weekly basis.  The venue ran afoul of the county after a neighbor complaint - county planners determined that the shop lacked a necessary. entertainment permit.

The coffee shop's violation stems from zoning codes that limit the presence of entertainment venues on one property, according to Sandoval.  Because the property hosts the Coffee Gallery Back Stage, a separate live entertainment venue run in the same structure by different management, any events held at the Front Stage would require a license.

Sandoval had originally been told by county planners that she would need a permit that would cost around $15,000.