Baja Grill | Victoria | 500-block of Yates Street

[Holden West]

There's been a Mexican restaurant at this location since the 70s I believe.

Baja Grill threatened with closure

By Brennan Clarke
Victoria News
Sep 20 2006

The owner of Baja Grill has received a court injunction from the City of Victoria that will force the popular eatery to either close up shop or relocate.

Peter Jonassen said the injunction limits the seating capacity of his restaurant to 10 people, down from the 25 seats operation he has been running for the last eight years.

"I'm being forced to go down to 10 seats and if I have to have 10 seats, I can't pay my bills," said Jonassen. "I want to work with the city to come up with some sort of compromise."

Baja Grill, located on the ground-floor of a Bay Street apartment complex "has been operating "beyond what's supposed to be there" for several years, Jonassen admitted.

Victoria manager of regulatory services Stan Schopp said the restaurant, originally granted a permit limiting the number of seats to 10, is violating fire regulations and the BC Building Code.

"When the building was originally built, it was never imagined that a restaurant would be there," Schopp said.

"We've tried to give him some time to relocate."

In addition to exceeding the allowable number of seats, the apartment block that houses the restaurant does not have a sprinkler system and lacks the kind of fire-retardant materials mandated for buildings that house restaurants.

Jonassen said the estimated $250,000 cost to install a sprinkler system throughout the building is far above what he can afford.

Schopp said in addition to installing a sprinkler system, Jonassen would be required to renovate the building to include the fire-safe materials required by the B.C. Building Code.

Jonassen lacks sufficient parking for a 25-seat restaurant and has been operating an outdoor patio without formal approval from the city. He claims to have 1,200 names on a petition asking the city to work with the Baja Grill on a solution.

mailto:bclarke@vicnews.com

[Jada]

Didnt that place burn down in 2002?

I just dont understand these restaurants that think they can get away without having a sprinkler system. Its just bad luck.

[G-Man]

He just bought that place like one month ago!

Anyways Fire Code and PARKING have no relation WHATSOEVER!!! Holy crap This city is insane. Plus it has operated with the patio for the whole time just let it go!

[Mike K.]

The least they could do is work with the guy. It's true, our bylaw officers are very hard to work with. No, they're trememdously hard to work with and they have little powertrips at every turn.

[aastra]

I didn't realize that was an apartment building. I thought it was a commercial building.

That's my neighbourhood, I lived just around the corner for 25 years. I could hit the Baja Grill building with an aerobie frisbee from our back deck.

"When the building was originally built, it was never imagined that a restaurant would be there," Schopp said.

Before this new building was built that site was occupied by a Mexican restaurant, called "El Rancho". The suggestion that nobody thought a restaurant would ever be set up in the new building is absolutely ludicrous. El Rancho was there for years and years. I'm sick of this short memory garbage.

Anyway, a lot of the new folks in the neighbourhood have no clue what was there before. That part of town is a microcosm for all of the crazy Victoria naysaying nonsense. People complain about cars parking on the side streets (evil hospital employees parking for free and walking to work). People complain about noise coming from the restaurant (if you've been to the Baja Grill you know this complaint is preposterous). People complain about the evil people who work in the restaurant and how they hate everything and everyone and want nothing more than to ruin the neighbourhood. And yet you go in there to eat and have a beer and the staff are perfectly nice.

Fact is, that little restaurant is the BEST thing that's happened to my old neighbourhood in my lifetime. The little patio out front is great. It's exactly what a neighbourhood cafe spot SHOULD be like. Compare it to the awful sunken commercial space in that shabby apartment across the street (on the site of the old Woodward's warehouse).

I was there last week and I was pleased to see about 15 customers in there. It's a terrific little place. If the zoning isn't right then CHANGE THE ZONING. If there are sprinkler issues then work with the proprietor to get them resolved. DON'T RUIN A GOOD THING JUST TO SATISFY THE CURMUDGEONS.

If the restaurant gets the boot then what else could go in there? A coffee shop/bakery. That's the only alternative for a space like that.

The naysayers would complain just as loudly and absurdly about a coffee place as they do about the restaurant.

My favourite complaint about that new building: "I saw people going in there in aerobics gear."

Um...so? So now we're against exercise? If people want to exercise they should go to Gordon Head or South Oak Bay?

STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING.

Don't get me started about the time a property owner went door to door showing us his terrific plans for a dumpy little house on Bay Street. The neighbours battled him like he was the devil himself. And don't get me started on the traffic calming. Or the recent rise in street folk. Or the coincidental recent rise in break-ins.

[aastra]

Jonassen LACKS sufficient parking for a 25-seat restaurant and has been operating an outdoor patio without formal approval from the city. He CLAIMS to have 1,200 names on a petition asking the city to work with the Baja Grill on a solution.

The city CLAIMS Jonassen lacks sufficient parking...

Interesting how a negative is always a fact, whereas a positive is always an unjustified claim. Victoria media coverage burns Victorians yet again.

[Holden West]

Yeah, I couldn't figure out that "never imagined a restaurant would be there" bit.

I remember when they tore it down to build the current building. The only surprising thing was the menu tweaking and name change. Even the palm tree in front remained.

I'm sure the city would love that restaurant to remain but wish the original owner had done things by the book initially.

I don't think there's enough traffic in that area to justify a coffee shop.

[teddygram]

I used to love eating there... definitely a place I miss now!

[VicBooster]

Has this Baja Grill relocated to lower Yates Street now? A restaurant with a similar or the same name is now located in the back of the building beside the Yates Street parkade.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by VicBooster

Has this Baja Grill relocated to lower Yates Street now? A restaurant with a similar or the same name is now located in the back of the building beside the Yates Street parkade.

Correct, I was there Sunday night for a private function. Same owner as the original.

Welcome to Baja Surf Grill, Senor Sushi Bar & Long Board Lounge
We're finally open inside - fully reno'd & licensed
Our ingredients are FRESHLY MADE Local & sustainable

535 Yates Street - across from Ferris's Oyster Bar & Grill
Tel: 250.590.6693
Hours of Operation effective NOW
Evenings
Tuesday - Saturday 5pm-12pm
Lunches (will gradually open for more lunches by spring 2011)
Fridays 11:30-2:30pm

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[OSJ]

Originally Posted by VicBooster

Has this Baja Grill relocated to lower Yates Street now? A restaurant with a similar or the same name is now located in the back of the building beside the Yates Street parkade.

yeh, it is the owner of the prvious Jellyfish after hours place.
his space was below Garricks Head before and there were some problems with him down there. he trashed the place when he left.
i will give the new place a quick visit, menu looks good, but dont expect it to last long.

[VicHockeyFan]

Baja is changing, we had a fantastic three years with so many people, and so many countless events, its sad to say we are leaving downtown a new restaurant is opening soon. Thank you to all of you for your patronage and support, come visit us at the new Svelte Show Lounge opening this Thursday at 5 pm taking adult Entertainment to a whole new level of class with the latest liquor licence in town, till 3 am, Shuttle service and a new meaning to VIP After hours starting soon. Please visit the SONiCA Late night group for more information and join Svelte Show Lounge to receive updates on upcoming events. Great tequila selection available as well, as always! OLE!!

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