The restaurant is planned at the former Harbour House by Mirana Interiors at 246 Second St. N.
SAFETY HARBOR — A Spanish tapas bar is on its way, after the City Commission recently approved a waiver for the sale of alcohol.
The owners, Christina Sanchez Miller and Michael Miller, plan to open the restaurant at 246 Second St. N., which has been vacant since its previous life as Harbour House by Mirana Interiors, a design and retail furniture shop.
The approval passed with a 4-1 vote Aug. 4.
The couple’s plan for the restaurant goes beyond food and drink, as they envision creating a cultural hub.
“We want to do painting with wine, we want to do Flamenco shows, things that are Spanish-oriented activities,” said Sanchez Miller, whose family is from Spain.
The approval came despite the restaurant’s proximity to the Safety Harbor Community Church, some 377 feet away.
A city code typically prohibits the sale of alcohol within 500 feet of a church. But the Millers said the sale of alcohol would be “incidental” to their restaurant, with more than 51% of their gross revenue coming from food and nonalcoholic beverages.
They said they had the church’s support, with Miller telling the commission: “We spoke with Pastor (Andrew) Larsen, who gave his support for the tapas bar. He also signed an agreement with us to use his parking as well.”
Parking was a point of discussion during the meeting, with Commissioner Andy Steingold inquiring about the property’s capacity.
“We’re just here approving a waiver so that alcohol can be served there, even though they can’t necessarily accommodate parking on their property?” Steingold asked.
Safety Harbor senior planner Cecilia Chen said the property has four spaces, but the applicants had a solution, she said.
“They have a parking agreement with the property across the street and it’s already signed,” Chen said, assuring the commission the plan meets code requirements.
Commissioner Nancy Besore cast the sole dissenting vote, citing concerns about the late hours of operation in a residential area.
“I’m concerned about somebody making that financial investment (in a nearby residence), and then, hello, you’ve got a bar open from 5 to 11,” Besore said.
However, Sanchez Miller said she had already spoken to the neighbor, who seemed to have only minor concerns about noise.
“We explained to him it would only be acoustic when we do have music,” she said.
With the waiver approved, the Millers are now moving forward with their plans.
The approval is contingent upon three conditions: that the hours of operation are limited to 5-11 p.m., that all plans and renovations are reviewed through the permitting process, and that they provide a state license showing at least 51% of their sales revenue is derived from food and nonalcoholic beverages.
No opening date has been set.
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