Times change.
Casa Mia, 3111 Columbia Pike, is Arlington’s oldest running restaurant, according to the menu. The restaurant originally opened as Coco’s in 1949, and has been serving Arlington south-of-the-border cuisine ever since.
Coco’s got County approval to play live music in 1974. Things went smoothly for the restaurant for nearly 20 years. But last year, relations with Coco’s neighbors went south.
The original live music permit was issued with "no conditions and no review," according to an April 11, 2001, report from County Manager Ron Carlee. By 1990, conditions had been added keeping the dancing limited to a certain area and time frame, and Coco’s permit came up for review every year.
When the 2001 review rolled around, Carlee recommended that County Board members stop live music at the restaurant. County police and fire departments had repeated problems at the restaurant, and neighbors complaining.
"People complained of loud noise, people overflowing into the parking lot drinking," said Jay Wind, chairman of the Arlington Heights Civic Association.
Fire trucks had made many runs to Coco’s when the restaurant was overcrowded, and firefighters had to deal with many drunks when they showed up, Carlee wrote in his report.
The Police Department was called on multiple occasions to deal with fights, robberies, and drunk drivers coming from the building. On incident even involved a fight with the restaurant's security guard, Carlee wrote.
Problems piled up, and County Board members were convinced, voting to end Coco’s live music license. Now, the restaurant is coming back, and board members will consider a new music license for the renamed restaurant at their July 20 meeting.
SINCE LOSING THE music license, owner Jorge Escobar V has made some changes at Coco's, with renovations to the building, a new name, and a newly hired manager who’s applying for a new live music permit.
In a letter to the Arlington Heights Civic Association, Daniel Riccardo Fernandez, Casa Mia’s new general manager, wrote the restaurant is "newly remodeled," and under new management. Fernandez invited neighbors to visit the restaurant to learn about its improvements.
Some of the changes made may strike a happy chord with nearby residents. Before renovation, music played in the rooms closest to the nearby homes. Now, the dance floor and smoking sections are located at the front of the restaurant, facing onto the retail-oriented Columbia Pike.
Getting support from the community is a big step towards getting a new music license, Wind said, but it’s not the only step. "There are three players in obtaining the conditional use permit for live music," he said. "The Planning Commission, the staff member assigned to the project, and the County Board."
Marcia Smith, the county’s planning staffer considering Casa Mia’s request, will accept public input on the project until July 13. But if the past is any indication, she said, there won’t be a lot standing in Casa Mia’s way. So far, Smith said she had seen only a few e-mails, and not many phone calls."I have not heard a lot of negativity," Smith said.
Wind said he supported Fernandez’ request, but didn’t know whether his neighbors agreed. "I like the idea of having more live music on Columbia Pike," Wind said. "I am in favor of granting the live music permit to Casa Mia, but I can only speak for myself, not the whole association."
Wind and his Arlington Heights neighbors will be considering the request on July 16, and Wind didn’t know how the association would vote. "It boils down to who makes an on-floor motion and gets it seconded," Wind said.
Even if county staff and neighbors don’t put any obstacles in Casa Mia’s way, the restaurant still must clear the hurdle of the County Board. "Planning staff does the investigations and makes a recommendation. They handle it from point of request until it goes to the board," said Paul Ferguson, County Board member. But the final decision, he said, still rests with the board, and they may weigh Coco’s checkered past.