We are residents of the Elmwood neighborhood and nearby areas, and we would like you to know that we support the idea of a nice new restaurant in the former Wrights' Garage building.

A quality restaurant is always a positive addition to any neighborhood. Putting one in this space would be a great re-use of the building, a nice example of green "infill" development, especially since our neighborhood is already very accessible and walkable. Elmwood is already known as a great place to shop and dine (not to mention live and raise a family), so this would fit in with that character and hopefully add to the reputation.

Regarding a full bar, we are enthusiastic about adding this, since if there is one thing that Elmwood currently lacks, it is a place where adults can go and have a good cocktail. With the growing craft cocktail trend as part of the "slow food" movement, and more types of liquor being produced locally, we would really like to see a full service bar within walking distance.

In terms of parking, we don't see a big impact. There is not usually a parking squeeze at dinner time We find that the existing permit system works well in our neighborhood. People driving to the area for dinner wouldn't be parking overnight, and we don't see one more restaurant adding a lot of extra cars to our streets. People already walk and bike to the Elmwood, and hopefully this would be another good reason to do that.

Finally, if it is the owners of Comal who open up the new restaurant, that would be even better. They have a good track record in downtown Berkeley, both in terms of the quality of their food and drink, and as good business owners. That is exactly the type of business we should be trying to promote in Elmwood, and anywhere else in Berkeley too.