In a press release issued by the City of Burbank today, it was disclosed that the property owner of Tinhorn Flats, Isabelle Lepejian, has evicted her family members from the property.
Baret, Lucas, and Talya Lepejian who are all listed as defendants in the civil case the City has brought against the former restaurant were ousted from the business legally. Isabelle Lepejian is listed as the landlord as well as a defendant.
According to the City’s release, “Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department turned over possession of the Tinhorn Flats’ building and property to the property owner, Isabelle Lepejian, as the last step in the eviction process she initiated against Tinhorn Flats.
The property owner was granted a writ of possession, and her right to enter and occupy the property pursuant to the writ of possession is accomplished by the Sheriff placing the property owner in possession, which occurred this morning.”
The Saga of Tinhorn Flats started late last year when the business would not curtail its activities per a Los Angeles County Health Order. After a hearing where their health permit was revoked, Burbank was forced to take legal action because the business was operating without a health permit.
Ownership refused to follow both the County’s and Burbank’s legal mandates and the City of Burbank was forced to padlock the doors and surround the property with a chain-link fence to stop the former tenants from operating the business illegally.
These actions have resulted in protests against the City and Council Members with protesters caravanning to their homes and manning the sidewalks by the business. A majority of these protesters are from outside Burbank.
Burbank residents have complained about the noise and sometimes profanity during the protests with several arrests occurring during the past few months, including Lucas Lepejian who has been taken into custody on three separate occasions by Burbank police. The father, Baret Lepejian, has remained in Thailand during the conflict.
There was no immediate word about what Isabelle Lepejian has for the property.
UPDATE 6/16
According to Simone McFarland of the City of Burbank, “Currently, the fence is not scheduled to be removed.”
The Philippines? Every article I have read until now has said he was in Thailand. So which is it?
Yes, you are correct and we have corrected the mistake. Thank you for pointing it out. We researched him and found this: https://anoogo.com/about/
I am Craig’s #1 fan, however I strongly disagree that “Burbank was forced to take legal action because the business was operating without a health permit.”
The LA County Health Department enforces these laws, the City had the opportunity to step aside and let the County handle this from A to Z. The County filed the first lawsuit (most people are not told this) and they have the budget and power to hire the LA County Sheriff to do the work that Burbank PD was doing.
The City spent seven figures on this and even as recently as Saturday, ten police officers were on the Tinhorn Flats detail, that’s one for every protestor present at 5pm that day, June 12th.
I pressed the City Attorney to confirm or deny if the County had the authority to deal with this situation on their own and she never replied to that query. I am aware the County has the legal authority to enforce their own laws and they could have easily done so in conjunction with the County Sheriff.
This was all politics and optics in advance of the 2022 elections.
I disagree with you.
Let’s be clear: the city’s spent a lot of money on this because the offenders are recalcitrant. This could have been much less expensive if action if the owner (who’s hiding in Thailand) would have complied with health orders.
Even if the city left it to the county, BPD would still be having to deal with the threats and out-of-town protestors that the THF owners courted. COB needed to deal with it because the CUP is with the city. Ignoring it would have set a terrible precedent.
It’s a twisted world view to hold the offender harmless as if they’ve had no part in this instead of escalating it at every opportunity, and instead blame everything on the city for enforcing it’s codes and the agreement.
Oh good that dangerous bar is now out of business with many burbank residents out of work. A+ job city! /s
All those idiots had to do was comply and guess what?? Those idiots would be open right now. IDIOTS
The owners did this to themselves. Dumb dumbs.
“Many Burbank residents”? Which ones?
The owner in Thailand? Or the kids who live in North Hollywood and Glendale?
They should have made their point and then complied with the city orders. Now the state is open and Tin Horn Flats is gone for good. Stubborn fools.
Owner is a total spoiled brat. Very cocky on news broadcasts. I guess you finally lost. Good going Trumpy.
I’m sure your Trumpy clientele will blame Biden. Low class people.
This is really some horrible reporting. I would expect much more from your publication. Commenter “Christopher Matthew Spencer” has noted above, the REAL STORY. Try to dig out important real facts of a situation next time.
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