By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

A recent restriction by LA County to ban in-person outdoor dining has met with resistance from the public and by lawyers with the California Restaurant Association (CRA). Earlier this week CRA lawyers sued the county to overturn the ban. After county lawyers weren’t able to produce sufficient evidence of the legitimacy of the ban, and being told by the presiding judge that the ban was arbitrary and backed by weak scientific evidence, it was overturned.

Jeannie Bone, owner of Casa Córdoba at 2331 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose is a board member of the CRA, LA Chapter and is pleased with the decision.

“The judge displayed common sense in regard to restaurants resuming outdoor dining as there was no evidence presented to the continuing punishment of restaurants and their clients,” Bone said.

But before diners make reservations at their favorite restaurants, the battle is not over. The state ordered lockdown, which prohibits in-person outdoor dining, is still in force and will be until after Christmas.
“Hopefully the LA Health Department’s overly zealous shutdown will be reexamined and overturned at that point,” Bone said. “I have heard that another lawsuit will be presented to the state, but I have no details.”
She added that other counties have had a “leg up” on LA in terms of the ability to earn an income.

“We’ve been locked down for two weeks now and it’s becoming increasingly more difficult with each passing day to deal with the all the uncertainty surrounding when we are permitted to earn an income and rehire our employees. Take-out alone does not generate enough income to support paying the rent, wages or the bills.”
Like many restaurant owners, she has specific questions for Gov. Newsom.

“We have all gone out of our way and spent our own unbudgeted money following the directions presented by the County Health Departments across California.

With no evidence that restaurants’ outdoor dining is responsible for the spreading of the virus, how long do you think it reasonable for restaurants to wait to be permitted to earn a living? Three weeks? Six weeks? Six months? Until everyone is vaccinated?”

Whatever the answer, Bone said that there is no plan in place but is happy that some sense seems to be found on the bench.

“The judge weighed the dynamics here in LA,” she said, “and ruled accordingly.”