Does York Boulevard Have Room for Another Liquor License? (Patch Poll)

The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council will tonight weigh in on chef James Graham's effort to secure a liquor license for his latest restaurant venture, Ba, the rustic French Restaurant he hopes to open on York Boulevard later this year.

For our previous story on Ba, click .

Graham will go before the Los Angeles City Planning Department on Wednesday, July 6 to earn their final approval, and when he does, he hopes to have the backing of the land use committee. 

Janet Dodson, of the 's land use committee, said the committee has already given their support to the overall project, and said she was personally in favor of support Graham's liquor license application.

Graham said he plans to offer full dinner service at Ba until 11 p.m., with a lighter menu available until the restaurant closes 1 a.m. He said he is asking for permission to serve beer and wine, but not hard liquor, until 2 a.m., "just so that the permission is in place."

"If the land use committee approves the letter, I will call Mr. Graham on Wednesday morning and let him know he can share that information with the planning department," Dodson said.

Dodson said that while she believed there was a problem with the number of establishments selling alcohol in Highland Park, Ba would not be part of the problem.

"This is not a liquor store--this is an application for beer and wine," she said. "And they will be selling food until 1 a.m., it won't be like a bar."

However, at least one neighborhood resident has expressed concerns in the comments section of the on Graham's effort, questioning why Graham wanted permission to sell beer and wine so late into the night.

Said commenter Tyson:

As a chef I perfectly understand the desire for alcohol sales to help create a profitable restaurant, I'm just not sure why a French nosh restaurant needs to be open till 1AM serving it unless they intend to be a bar. As a neighbor in the 500ft impact zone I can tell you my main concern is with the increased noise and rowdiness taking place on York. If they closed earlier then they wouldn't have to be considered part of the problem.

Dodson said that the public is welcome to attend tonight's meeting of the HHPNC land use committee, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Highland Park Senior Citizens Center.

You can also weigh in on our Facebook poll, here.