The Los Gatos Town Council awarded a new conditional-use permit to the applicants seeking to open a new restaurant to be called Cento Nove, formerly called Pizza Simpatico, at 109 W. Main St. Monday night.
The new establishment, which will be a combination of retail, wine and cafe serving and making pizza, will be located next to It will have to build a wall that will separate the 520-square-feet retail space between 91 and 101 W. Main St. and 109 W. Main St., the council stipulated. LGCRC occupies 91 and 101 W. Main St. The site is currently occupied by .
Applicants Lisa Rhorer and Pat Romano told the Council that they plan to use 35 percent of the space for retail. The 35-seating-capacity restaurant (including 11 stools) will be opened 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Beer and wine will only be permitted with food.
“This is a different space,” said Los Gatos Mayor Joe Pirzynski. “This is a different space and we expect you guys to communicate that to the public when you open.”
The project was reviewed by the Council on Aug. 15 and was continued to allow staff and the applicants to address meal service versus food service, define the so-called community benefit, remove the outdoor seating, quantify the amount of proposed retail and making that the focus.
The applicant has offered to give the town $2,500 to be used toward the purchase of town banners to offset traffic impacts. It will offer delivery of food to town residents from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In other news, the Council voted unanimously on consent to amend a town ordinance that will clarify the language used to determine whether landlords can increase rents for certain cost increases in operations and maintenance expenses on their properties.
The language is targeted to help arbitrators be better equipped to make decisions when mediating a rental dispute.
According to Martin Eichner, executive director for Project Sentinel, the nonprofit group that handles the town’s rental disputes, complaints have been up lately with two complaints per week for the past two months.
The item was discussed at the Sept. 6 Council meeting and brought back to the council for ratification.
Correction: This article has been revised. An earlier version had the incorrect name of one of the project's applicants. The operators are Lisa Rhorer and Pat Romano. Don Durante is co-owner with Rhorer of Cin-Cin Restaurant. Also, the name of the business has been changed to Cento Nove. Everybody makes mistakes ... even us! If there's something in this article that you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, give Local Editor Sheila Sanchez a ring at 408-391-8725 or shoot her an e-mail at sheila.sanchez@patch.com.
