Wildwood Postpones Vote on 24-Hour Bars

WILDWOOD – Dozens of stakeholders on both sides of the 24-hour issue showed up at this city’s Wed., July 28 city commission meeting to find out whether local bars would have to keep giving last call for alcohol or not. The governing body, however, decided not to make a decision on the issue, tabling it for additional discussion and review.
After holding a work session, discussing upcoming city projects and passing 20 or so resolutions with little fanfare, commissioners addressed the 24-hour issue that everyone was there for.
“Tonight’s main event,” DeMarzo stated.
Wildwood bars are currently allowed to operate 20 hours a day, from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. In June, city bar owners petitioned the city for an extra hour of alcohol service as a possible way to increase business for the struggling bar industry that has been particularly hard hit by the ongoing economic downturn.
DeMarzo and Commissioner Ed Harshaw, recognizing the bar owners’ plight, introduced the amended resolution on June 9, much to the chagrin of Commissioner Al Brannen, who has opposed and continues to oppose any change (4 a.m. or 24 hours). When the measure came up for a public hearing on July 7, rather than vote on it, commissioners amended it to allow 24 hour alcohol service.
In addition to possibly giving Wildwood bars an economic kick, bar owners suggested the 24 hour service would reduce the historic problem of dealing with a 3 a.m. (or 4 a.m.) bar break, during which patrons from every nightclub spill onto downtown streets at the same time.
Many concerned residents have attended the hearings to voice opposition to the increased bar hours. They’ve argued that the change would hurt Wildwood’s growing reputation as a family resort, that it would cause quality of life problems for those living near the downtown bar district, and that it would cause public safety issues with more drunk drivers on Wildwood streets.
“I don’t know if I could have it on my soul if someone has a DWI accident and somebody gets killed,” Brannen said at the most recent meeting.
“It’s really a hair-brained idea,” said one North Wildwood resident. “It’s really stupid.”
“If it was up to me, I’d be lowering it four hours,” she added, noting that commissioners should see this as a “moral issue” and keep their children’s welfare foremost in their minds.
Another local resident noted that the 3 a.m. closing time was approved by 54 percent of voters in a 1997 referendum.
“So if it changes, it should go back to the people and not be changed by you three people,” he added.
Despite these arguments, DeMarzo said he thought the city was on the right track, but had to do more homework before going through with the change.
“I’m a firm believer that 24 hours can work,” Mayor Gary DeMarzo said. “But at this point, the way the ordinance is written, it doesn’t give me enough control to turn it off or turn it on.”
He said there needs to be language written into the ordinance that puts restrictions on the bar owners and gives the city the power to levy tangible and sizeable penalties if bar owners break the rules. He also noted that there might be some legal issues with liquor stores that may also want to be allowed to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.
Realizing that by postponing the vote he might have angered some from both factions, DeMarzo asked that if they were “going to throw fruit, I’d rather it not be avocados because they have really hard pits.”
John Davis, manager of Club Luna and spokesman for the local licensed beverage association, tried to argue the case for approving the measure, noting that bar owners have been working closely with city officials and doing everything they asked.
“Now we need your help,” he said.
In the end, however, commissioners agreed to table the measure, and those on both sides of the issue will have to wait and see what happens next.