Jacksonville Beach considers an earlier 'last call' for drinksBeaches lawmakers say an earlier cutoff time would reduce crime.
QuoteThe last call for alcohol at restaurants in Jacksonville Beach could come two hours earlier if a proposed ordinance aimed at controlling late-night downtown rowdiness is approved.
Dozens of city restaurateurs showed up Monday night to voice opposition. The outcry worked, at least temporarily, causing the City Council to delay any consideration until next month.
Several council members have expressed concern about rising arrests and fights after restaurants that sell alcohol close at 2 a.m. Under the proposal, drafted by Police Chief Bruce Thomason, alcohol sales would end at midnight for new and newly sold restaurants. The council agreed to review the idea in a workshop.
The measure would not affect bars and other establishments that primarily sell alcohol. And restaurants that already sell alcohol wouldn't be affected until they or their alcohol license is sold.
Of the restaurant owners who spoke Monday, many argued the proposed ordinance favors bars over restaurants and knocks out two critical hours of alcohol sales.
Mayor Fland Sharp conceded Tuesday the measure must be revamped.
"There's something that was formulated to solve a problem, and after listening to the folks for a while, we felt maybe that it's not the best way to do it," Sharp said.
The proposed law is not intended to favor bars over restaurants, he said. Instead, it's aimed at what he calls restaurants in name only. Sharp said several of those restaurants make far more revenue in alcohol than in food. City code calls for an establishment to get at least 51 percent of its revenues from food sales to be considered a restaurant.
Sharp said a revised ordinance will likely give breaks to legitimate restaurants, but that it will continue to target those restaurants in name only.
"There are several places here in Jacksonville Beach that don't even serve half food," said Sharp. "That's why we're going back to the drawing board."
Still, many restaurant owners want to make sure they can sell their establishments in the future and invite other restaurateurs to the city without worrying about alcohol restrictions. Others said the measure would increase unemployment because fewer restaurants would operate.
Sharp admitted he was surprised at Monday's backlash. But he said there would be little impact on employment because the proposal doesn't say restaurants can't stay open until 2 a.m.
"You're talking about losing jobs and all that," said Sharp. "I don't see any of that."
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-12-09/story/jacksonville_beach_considers_an_earlier_last_call_for_drinks
Lets move the party to Atlantic Beach.
move the party to Downtown!
Quotemove the party to Downtown!
Exactly! Thanks Jax Beach! ::)
Maybe we can take the 2 lost hours and apply them to downtown area bars! ;)
I read that too. But if you look closely.......it won't affect bars or clubs. Just restaurants.
Yeah, but does that include popular places like Yucatan Taco Stand, Chicago Pizza, Mellow Mushroom, & the new Salt Life Grill?
I am so tired of the good ol' boy rednecks running Jacksonville into the boring ground. Do we desperately want the beaches to be Daytona? Could this city possibly move backwards?? Jacksonville has SO much potential and our joke of a police force is concerned with this issue?
Is there anywhere we can protest this? Anyone have a link to city council members emails so we can tell them how stupid this is and remind them that they don't care only because their boring, old asses never leave the house after 8?
Quote from: blizz01 on December 09, 2009, 11:04:08 AM
Yeah, but does that include popular places like Yucatan Taco Stand, Chicago Pizza, Mellow Mushroom, & the new Salt Life Grill?
And Sneakers and Fionn McCools.
Quote from: fsujax on December 09, 2009, 09:20:58 AM
move the party to Downtown!
Yes, please! Let the bros have the beach. 8) lol
I live at the beach and think this whole thing is stupid. Their are fights and crime because the police force at the beach is lacking, it is not because restaurants sell alcohol till 2am. Go to any major city and last call is 3:45am or later. People getting shot left and right in this city and this what we are talking about. Wow....
The mayor of Jax Beach is named Fland? Huh?
I'm embarrased for these old farts that they feel this is a good use of their time. Who the FUNK forgot to remind them A) the beach is supposed to be fun and B) there are bigger fish to fry. In fact, here's an amateur idea...let's try and bring MORE business to the beach and encourage business owners to open up and increase city revenue instead of basically hanging up a "Business Owners Not Welcome" sign?
If anyone knows a city council member, please ask them what the hell they are thinking? I'm sure they have some reasons that their stupid, old, boring minds think look good on paper but we've got bigger issues.
As for those restuarants that you guys mentioned:
"The measure would not affect bars and other establishments that primarily sell alcohol. And restaurants that already sell alcohol wouldn't be affected until they or their alcohol license is sold."
&
"The proposed law is not intended to favor bars over restaurants, he said. Instead, it's aimed at what he calls restaurants in name only. Sharp said several of those restaurants make far more revenue in alcohol than in food. City code calls for an establishment to get at least 51 percent of its revenues from food sales to be considered a restaurant."
It's not a very long article ya know....
Haha! That's true...it's not a very long article. Guess some of us, me included, were a little too flustered to read comprehensively.
As the beaches make a recommendation to make last call earlier, St. Johns County is extending theirs. And why are they doing this?
QuoteIn an effort to keep business in the county, the county commission is clearing the way for change. Business owners said they were pleased with the decision, which the commission said was strictly economical.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/21985751/detail.html
Ironic to say the least.
As others have mentioned, move it downtown. Open our serving hours til 4, or better yet 24/7. I don't plan on drinking at 5am, but for those that get off at 3 am, let them have drink and be merry!
how about you just stop serving the rednecks starting the fights a little earlier
Quote from: Lucasjj on December 17, 2009, 07:34:37 AM
As the beaches make a recommendation to make last call earlier, St. Johns County is extending theirs. And why are they doing this?
QuoteIn an effort to keep business in the county, the county commission is clearing the way for change. Business owners said they were pleased with the decision, which the commission said was strictly economical.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/21985751/detail.html
So the party will simply move from Jax Beach to Atlantic, Neptune and PVB.
Quote from: JaxNative68 on December 17, 2009, 12:00:44 PM
how about you just stop serving the rednecks starting the fights a little earlier
Oh yeah, that'll make 'em civil... ::)
Hmm, they'll lose some tax base if this passes.