East Sacramento Neighbors Argue Over Proposed Restaurant

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A proposed East Sacramento restaurant is serving up a neighborhood dispute. The restaurant would go into a spot that was first built as a home.

The lines are drawn. In fact, the line is the property line. A homeowner is on one side and an aspiring cafe owner is on the other. It's the Sacramento planning commission that will decide the winner.

"We're trying to create a beautiful place here…open up a café," said Shirin Rahimian.

"I'm concerned of the smell, noise," said Stephen Buckner.

It's an East Sacramento corner lot at the center of a debate turning hot.

"I'm just within my right, and I'm trying to do something right," said Rahimian.

Rahimian bought the one-time home, and wants to turn it into a health food restaurant. Buckner lives next door.

Rahinian's proposed Granola Girl Cafe and Urban Garden would provide an oasis for the physically fit.

"This is the deck we're going to build out here," she says.

But it has Buckner and some of his neighbors throwing a fit.

Parking is another problem.

"The plan is there is going to be one spot for this business, and seats for 30," he said.

"I don't have any solution for that," she said.

"I mean, you can imagine another 30 cars, or we'll say 15, it's going to be a tremendous impact on the community," said Buckner.

The café hasn't opened and it's already serving up a healthy neighborhood dispute.

Sacramento city staffers are supporting the restaurant project because the house it would go into is already a commercially zoned property.

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