Business & Tech

Sun's Property Owner Granted Zoning Variance

The owners declined to comment on what the sale of the property could mean for the future of the restaurant.

The owner of the Sun's Restaurant property at 6441 North Figueroa St. was on Wednesday granted a commercial zoning variance, which clears the way for the sale of the longstanding eatery.

According to Eddie Navarrette of FE Design, a representative for the property's owners, the block where Sun's is located was designated as a residential zone in October of 2000. The variance will bring the property into compliance with the area's zoning designation.

The sale of the property, which also includes a adjacent, vacant retail building, is currently being held in escrow, according to Kirk Hula, a real estate agent for Keller Williams.

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With the property now in compliance, the sale will be able to proceed, said Kevin Ocubillo, a Planning Deputy in Councilman José Huizar's office.

On Tuesday, Sun's Restaurant owner Phillip Sun said he was afraid that sale of the property could mean the end of his business.

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"The family is interested in selling," Sun told Patch on Tuesday. "If it gets transferred to commercial, it's basically a done deal."

Linda Colburn, whose family has owned the property since the 1930s, said during the hearing that she "want[s] to continue to operate in the same way as we have in the past.

"We want to continue the same restaurant and retail uses that we've had in the past," she said. 

However, when asked after the meeting if the sale of the property would mean the end of Sun's Restaurant, Colburn declined to comment.

Hula noted, however, that Sun in 2009 had been offered an opportunity to extend his lease. Hula also noted that Sun had declined an offer to buy the property.

According to Sun, Colburn's father and longtime property owner J. Jacobs had told him that a lease was not necessary. He also said that the asking price for the property was more than he could afford.

Mary Aguilar, a longtime Sun's customer, said that both she and her husband have been eating at the restaurant for years, and valued both the "excellent food the the community atmosphere.

"I'd hate to see that disposed of," she said.

Tovar said said he recognize the value of the Sun's to the community, but could not make a judgment based on the potential motives of the owner.


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