In an effort to reduce the city’s late-night nightlife, the Hermosa Beach City Council is looking to cap the number of late night bars at 36. Although the total number of post-11 p.m. drinking establishments currently stands at about 40, council members expect to reduce the number of late night bars over time as properties change use and businesses lose their Conditional Use Permits, or liquor license.
The City Council officially will vote on Thursday, Sept. 27 to amend the municipal code and establish the “No Intensification of Late Night On-Sale Alcoholic Beverage Establishments” policy.
The council can change the “No Intensification” cap anytime in the future by resolution, although City Attorney Mike Jenkins on Tuesday advised against it.
“You can revise, but you should have a rational basis for it,” Jenkins said, adding that amending the cap at a future date to allow an additional business to serve late night drinks might open up the city council to charges of favoritism.
Jenkins said there ought to be a “heavy presumption” that the cap number would be followed.
The idea of enacting a limit on late night drinking establishments has been in the works for years. City council members on Tuesday unanimously approved the city-wide cap over an impassioned plea from Sal Longo, who owns Suzy’s Bar & Grill at 1141 Aviation Blvd. Longo said he hasn’t made money on his business in six years, and having a Conditional Use Permit would allow him to sell liquor, in addition to the beer and wine he already sells.
Longo, who paid $4,100 in application fees earlier in the year, said his business does not have the security issues bars downtown are coming under scrutiny for lately. He urged council members to enact a moratorium on the downtown and allow for his business east of Pacific Coast Highway to serve drinks as a neighborhood establishment.
“We’ve brought a little life to the area,” Longo said.
“We can’t redline a district,” Council member Peter Tucker said. “We have to be fair for the whole community. This is a good step that limits alcohol and rolls it back.”
The original proposal from the Planning Commission recommended setting the cap at 40, but Council member Howard Fishman moved to lower that number to 36. Council member Mike DiVirgilio said that the city ought to consider trading parking spaces or even cash to bars in return for reducing their late night hours.
City staff will review the number final number of establishments in the city with late night CUPs, which might be 41, Community Director Ken Robertson said. The council may institute the cap at 36 or a different number on Sept. 27.
