SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Medjool Restaurant and Lounge, thought to be San Francisco's only rooftop bar, should be closed down for alleged code violations, city officials say.
City planning officials said the bar owned by developer Gus Murad is in violation of multiple city codes and therefore should be closed, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.
"The Medjool rooftop bar does have both planning code and building code issues," city Zoning Administrator Larry Badiner said.
"In this area, restaurants and bars above the second floor are not permitted," city Planner Craig Nikitas said. "Unless there is a plan to correct the problem, they will have to remove the rooftop restaurant."
Murad's lawyer, Andrew Junius, told the Chronicle city officials authorized building and planning permits for the rooftop bar during its construction.
The newspaper said Murad has repeatedly donated money to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's campaigns, leading to allegations the city official gave preferential treatment to another Murad development project.
