Belmar's Seasonal Liquor Licenses Not Amended
Borough has three of the state's eight seasonal liquor licenses
Holding its public meeting in the borough hall lobby, the Belmar Planning Board and Borough Council dropped a proposal to update its seasonal and beachfront liquor license laws to match state laws expanding the licenses from May to March.
Borough Administrator Colleen Connolly said the borough found out that due to the specifics of its three seasonal liquor licenses, Belmar would not have to pass its own ordinance expanding beachfront liquor licenses to operate year-round.
Three businesses in town have seasonal liquor licenses — 10th Avenue Burrito and the beachfront businesses of D'Jais and La Dolce Vita — and there are only eight seasonal liquor licenses in the state, said Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty.
With a Gov. Christie plan to expand seasonal liquor licenses to include March and April instead of beginning in May, as the state law previously defined, Belmar was debating how to amend its local ordinance to comply with the Christie plan.
The added issue is that having a liquor license operate along the beachfront is not a permitted use in Belmar, said Connolly. The ordinance not introduced tonight would have dealt with that issue, and the Planning Board was scheduled to discuss the matter at 6 p.m. with the borough council meeting at 7 p.m.
However, the board and council dropped the ordinance, after realizing La Dolce Vita was defined not as a tavern or bar but as a restaurant, which exempted it from the liquor license zoning issue. D'Jais was grandfathered in as an business that was in existence before the "no beachfront liquor license" rule went into effect in Belmar, Connolly said.
The third seasonal liquor license for 10th Avenue Burrito is not affected simply because they are not on the beachfront and if they wish could begin serving alcohol in March instead of May thanks to Christie's expansion of the seasonal liquor license laws, Doherty said.
Connolly said Christie is pushing for a longer seasonal liquor license season to help businesses better court customers in March and April, especially businesses struggling after Hurricane Sandy.
The Planning Board and Belmar Council respectively met in the lobby of Borough Hall, after a municipal court session lasted into the scheduled time, 6-8 p.m. Attendees crowded the lobby as officials sat in folding chairs at tables to conduct business.
The proposal, the only item of business on Wednesday's special meeting, was pulled from the agenda.
The meetings were both called as special meetings, held in addition to the regular calendar of meetings for the council.
Hank Kerchef
5:10 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
That's interesting ,,,I thought the A-Holes in Belmar wanted to get rid of all tourism and businesses so they can be one sided community types like Spring Lake.
J
9:12 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Hank, I will be polite and merely say that you are misinformed. To cite but one example, Belmar is rushing to rebuild its boardwalk before Memorial Day in order to attract those very tourists you claim it no longer wants. And it is doing so without raising beach badge fees paid by those tourists.
BeachBetty
12:14 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013
You have a stellar command of the English language and an even more sublime understanding of the issues that face our town. I commend you on your acumen!
Jimmy J
12:57 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Seems a bit interesting that the true consequences of the proposed zoning change was never spoken about and may have been the true intent of the secret special meeting. By making the proposed change to the zoning, the D’Jais bar would have become a fully conforming use which would have easily allowed them to utilize their newly obtained year-round license as a simple license transfer. Done deal, minimal questions asked. Further, the change would allow the D’Jais bar to expand its use of its building and possibly build another facility or outdoor bars in their parking lot with the simple issuance of building permits. The danger all along of the proposed zoning change was that it is permanent, has many underlying consequences to the Belmar community and its adoption would have been disastrous. This change had the potential of D’Jais bar becoming another Bar Anticipation type environment on Ocean Avenue in Belmar.
Belmar 123
12:58 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
When are people going to get, this has zero to do with what the Mayor says it has too. There is something rotten in Denmark, and this was a ploy to work around the towns people for one business in town!
Ruby
11:11 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Why does Belmar have to "comply with the Christie plan"?!? Our ordinances should benefit the people of Belmar. Liquor licenses operators have all summer as well as two shoulder seasons to make money. Any question of complying with the Christie plan should be put to a referendum!
NICU
9:19 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Why do people like Ruby find a way to put salt on a wound versus a band-aid? Hidden agenda in that comment or your house, business, friends were not affected by Sandy or your so selfish that you really believe that this will take people from your restaurant?