Insomniac's Neighbors Sleeping Easier : Ventura: The coffeehouse works with city officials to eliminate loiterers and late-night noise. It is seeking an operating permit.

By PEGGY Y. LEE

Oct. 13, 1992 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

The Insomniac Coffeehouse--one of the few places in Ventura where teen-agers can hang out--has taken steps to curb noisy loiterers since neighbors complained, city officials said.

The coffeehouse, which moved from Laurel Street to the Mayfair Theatre in June, features live music, theater and poetry readings, while the Mayfair shows art and foreign films. The two businesses share the building at 793 E. Santa Clara St., which is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

The Mayfair, which never drew large crowds when it was operating solely as a movie theater, began attracting hundreds of customers on weekends. On busy nights, 30 to 50 teen-agers would gather outside the coffeehouse, police said.

Neighbors said they used to find their lawns littered with beer cans and cigarettes, and one nearby business owner said two ceramic pots outside his office were stolen.

In addition, police and city planners said they received letters and phone calls complaining about teen-agers loitering, drinking alcohol, playing loud music on car stereos and urinating on lawns.

But neighbors and police say the coffeehouse has become more subdued since city officials met with Chris Schertzer, manager and part-owner of the coffeehouse, a few weeks ago.

Schertzer hired two security guards, who have practically eliminated the problem of loitering, he said. “We’re trying to be good neighbors.” The guards are patrolling a two-block radius to deter people from loitering or disturbing the neighborhood.

The guards were one of several conditions that the city had set for approval of an operating permit for the Insomniac. The business has been operating at the Mayfair location without a permit, said City Planner Mitch Oshinsky.

Coffeehouse owners will appear tonight before the Planning Commission to request the permit, which would also require the business to close its doors to minimize the noise level and limit the number of people at the site to 472.

Unless the Planning Commission’s decision is appealed to the council, its decision is final.

The problem, neighbors agree, was not the coffeehouse, but the patrons who gathered outside and made noise.

“The city has to be sensitive to the kind of businesses that are in a mixed commercial and residential area,” said Mark Golden, who lives down the street from the coffeehouse. “I’m not against the Insomniac Coffeehouse, but it does operate after hours. It would be different if you had businesses that were strictly 9 to 5.”

City planners say the coffeehouse can be compatible with the nearby residential neighborhood as long as patrons are considerate.

“I think it is understandable that you’re going to have noise generated by this kind of use,” said Oshinsky. “We have to strike a balance between the people who live there and find an acceptable level for them.”

City planners and police agree that the coffeehouse can be a good hangout for teen-agers. It is located in a relatively safe area of town and few bad elements, such as gangs, are associated with it, police said.

“We’re all for the place, because they don’t serve alcohol and there aren’t a lot of fights,” said Ventura Police Cpl. John Leach. “The problem is that people don’t want to pay the two or three bucks to go in, so they hang out.”

Coffeehouse customers have cooperated with the limits because they don’t want to see the business shut down, Schertzer said.

When the coffeehouse moved into the Mayfair, several rows of seats at the front of the theater were eliminated to make room for a stage and dance floor.

In the early evening hours, the coffeehouse and the theater operate simultaneously. When the movies end about 9 or 9:30 p.m., coffeehouse entertainment begins inside the theater.

Chris Rose, 21, of Ventura said he frequently visits the Insomniac because it is one of the few places in Ventura where he can stay for hours at a time.

“I come here for the socialization, the music,” said Rose, who was lounging on a faded beige armchair. “The people are mellow. If these teen-agers were not here, they would probably be out doing drugs. A lot of people here are recovering addicts.”

Tonie Bartsch, 14, of Ventura said she comes to meet friends and socialize. The coffee and foreign films aren’t the reason it has become so popular, she said.

“It’s the only place in town for kids,” said Tonie, who was sitting on a couch and giggling with friends. “We’re too young to drink or go to clubs.”

City planners say that although the noise at the coffeehouse seems to be reduced in recent weeks, the one-year permit would allow officials to inspect the site in three months.

“If there are big problems out there, we’ll bring it back to the Planning Commission before the year is out,” Oshinsky said. “It’s our insurance policy.”

Schertzer points out that although his customers are all ages, the Insomniac has become a popular place for teen-agers.

“I’m still learning,” said Schertzer, 32. “I wasn’t aware that the neighbors would be that hostile. We’re not a nightclub, and we don’t serve alcohol. There’s no place for kids here. We’re the only game in town.”