The city would like to see more restaurants like Genaro’s

By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

Genaro's Café on Hill Ave. was recently remodeled and the dining room was expanded along with the installation of a parking lot on the west side of the restaurant. One of Genaro's mot popular dishes is the stuft sopilla. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

GALLUP — The city would like to see more restaurants like Genaro’s.

That’s why on Tuesday the city agreed to change the city’s zoning laws to make it possible for more restaurants to move into what are essentially residential neighborhoods.

The new zoning regulations severely restrict the size of the restaurants and other aspects of their operation, but by changing the zoning codes, some neighborhoods could now accept a family-style restaurant.

Clyde Strain, a community planner for the city, said the city began reviewing the city zoning regarding residential areas and restaurants when the new owners of Genaro’s, Germaine Garcia and Rozanne Murphy, indicated they would like to demolish the present restaurant and build a new one.

They ultimately decided instead to remodel but in reviewing the proposal, the city discovered that the city zoning laws do not allow a restaurant in an RM-5 (Mixed Use District) where Genaro’s is located. But after reviewing the situation, Strain said the city staff felt that there was no need to prohibit a restaurant from being established in those areas “without having a negative impact on the neighborhood” as long as strict limitations are established about its operations.

“This would allow existing neighborhood restaurants such as Genaro’s to expand or build new,” he said.
There are only a handful of restaurants like Genaro’s in the city, and city officials said Wednesday they all operate in harmony with the neighborhoods they reside in. In fact, the inclusion of these restaurants have added to the flavor of the neighborhoods while at the same time, said Strain, providing “a service to the people within the neighborhood as well as the rest of the city.”

But to make sure that the restaurants don’t wear out their welcome, the city council agreed to put these restrictions in place:

• People who want to set up restaurants in RM-4 (Multiple Family Residential) and RM-5 districts must agree to keep their gross floor area to no more than 3,000 square feet.
• No restaurant will be allowed to move within 1,000 feet of another restaurant. This is to preserve the residential feel of the area and to prevent strips of restaurants and not allow a strip mall type look to be present.
• Outdoor seating for these restaurants will be limited to 100 square feet and not go out into the walkway of the sidewalk. The outdoor seating must end by 9 p.m. daily.
• Outdoor lighting is permitted but it ca not be so intense that it create a glare that impairs the vision of those driving by or walking along the street. It can not be directed into other residential homes on the block.
• Music and noise is allowed but it must be maintained at a level that will not become a nuisance to neighbors or pedestrians or have “a significant adverse effect on the character and value of adjacent properties or the surrounding neighborhood.”

Strain said Genaro’s complies with all of these requirements, which is why the Planning and Zoning Commission approved its request to build an addition to its restaurant.