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When B.J.'s Restaurant and Brewhouse opened on Dec. 6, 2002, few expected the long queues of cars on De Anza Boulevard that ensued. The popularity of the establishment overwhelmed the property's parking lot, prompting the management to bring in a valet parking service.
The problem is the city hadn't issued B.J.'s a permit for valet parking.
That technicality is a problem no more.
At its Aug. 9 meeting, the planning commission unanimously approved a modification to B.J.'s use permit to allow valet parking—with a few minor stipulations.
The parking lot on the B.J.'s property allows for 94 parking spaces, and customers can also park in the 11 spots on the adjacent property belonging to the Sobrato Development Corporation after 6 p.m. But the management at B.J.'s counted cars over a three-month period, and found their parking resources strained.
For instance, in January 2004, an average of 298 cars was tallied over a seven-hour dinner period on five Saturday nights. With 105 available spaces and no limit on time customers could spend in the restaurant, parking became a problem. B.J.'s instituted a valet service to increase parking efficiency. But placing the valet stand near the front of the lot pushed waiting cars out onto De Anza Boulevard and complicated traffic patterns.
The management at B.J.'s explored a number of options, including directing overflow parking to nearby lots, such as those on the adjacent Apple Computer site or the former Any Mountain lot across De Anza Boulevard.
In both instances, landowners rejected the proposals, citing security concerns. But management reached an agreement with Dade Behring on Mariani Avenue, which allows the B.J.'s employees to park in its lot. That has helped some.
The valet service has also helped but has also encountered snags. The valet stand has since been placed near the back of the parking lot, allowing cars to back up in the lot and not on the street. That placement also opens up some spaces for self-parking, which was a concern of B.J.'s patrons. The ratio of valet to self parking will vary from one meal period to the next.
These modifications were favorable to the planning department, which also requested that B.J.'s continue working with the community development and public works departments to polish the valet plan, as well as bring it to an end if the demand for parking recedes.
According to Planning Commissioner Gilbert Wong, the proposed changes made this resolution an easy one to pass. "It was very straightforward," he said.
So now, patrons may find it a little easier to keep dinner plans at B.J.'s.
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