PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT RELEASED

FEBRUARY 28, 2011 The HBDRA released a report today entitled, A PUBLIC SAFETY STUDY OF DOWNTOWN HUNTINGTON BEACH. Click HERE to view the PDF Report.

This is the first report of its kind released to the public quantifying Public Safety issues facing our Downtown Neighborhood of nearly 4000 residents.

As one might suspect, the Downtown Bar Scene is creating havoc with Public Safety in our Downtown Neighborhood as well as citywide; no one is immune.

• Of the 69 largest cities in the State, Huntington Beach is #1 in DUI traffic accidents involving death or injury. We are #1 in DUI arrests 4 years in a row.

• We have over 700% more bars and 300% more liquor stores per capita than the rest of Orange County

• 28% of all the bars in Huntington Beach are located Downtown. We have 55 times more bars per square mile Downtown than the rest of the City.

• We have 73 times more alcohol-related assaults and 136 times more Drunk in Public arrests.

And here is the OTHER BAD NEWS. Our City Council majority continues to approve more alcohol licenses Downtown and they continue to ignore their #1 responsibility which is to ensure the Public Safety.

Why? What are the facts? Click HERE to view the PDF Report.

Please attend the City Council meeting on March 7th at 6:00 PM.

At this meeting they will vote on an alcohol license for Bomburger, a small take-out hamburger place on Main Street. We say NO! Enough is Enough!

Please join the HBDRA at the meeting.

The HBDRA is not asking for a moratorium on alcohol licenses. We are not asking to close down all the bars. The HBDRA is simply asking for BALANCE. We are asking that our City Council remember that Downtown is, first and foremost, a neighborhood of 4000 residents.

We are asking our City Council to place Public Safety for its citizens as their Number 1 priority and not sacrifice Public Safety in their quest for more and more revenue.

Our OFFICIAL POSITION STATEMENT is as follows

1) The HBDRA supports a more balanced Downtown that creates a safer environment for both residents and tourists.

2) The HBDRA supports public safety in the immediate Downtown neighborhood of 4000 residents and in the Huntington Beach community at large.

3) The HBDRA does not support a moratorium of alcohol licenses Downtown.

4) The HBDRA does not support the unwarranted closure of any Downtown bars or other alcohol-serving establishments Downtown, deferring these decisions to our City Officials.

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WHAT”S UP WITH THE IRISH PUB?

UPDATE MARCH 16, 2011 Sources have now confirmed that Dillon’s will NOT be opening in Downtown Huntington Beach.

JANUARY 28, 2011 Sources have told the HBDRA that Dillon’s, the Irish Pub at the Strand in Downtown, will most likely not be opening in Huntington Beach after all.

Apparently, the new City Council Resolution 2010-05 that states all new restaurants must close at midnight rather than 2AM, does not meet their needs for a late night entertainment venue.

The Strand Leasing Office is taking backup offers and waiting until early February for the final decision from Dillon’s.

First Bomburger, now Dillon’s – could this be the beginning of a new revitalized Downtown that does not depend on alcohol and a late night bar scene for its very survival? Let’s hope so.

UPDATE MARCH 7, 2011 At the City Council meeting today, the owner of Bomburger recinded their application for an alcohol license citing residential concerns over public safety. The HBDRA extends its gratitude to Bomburger and wishes them all the best.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 8, 2011 The Bomburger appeal to the City Council is scheduled for March 7th.

BOHR FILES BOMBURGER APPEAL

FEBRUARY 5, 2011 Thirty minutes before the deadline yesterday, City Council Member Keith Bohr filed an appeal of the Bomburger decision to the City Council.

On January 25th, the Planning Commission voted 4-3 to deny Bomburger an alcohol license. Bomburger is that small Downtown take-out hamburger hamlet on Main Street and now they want to sell beer and wine in violation of City policy.

Bohr seems to consider that an exception to City policy may be appropriate, and after trying to influence (unsuccessfully) the vote on the Planning Commission, he is now taking it to the City Council, where his influence will be greater.

Councilman Bohr was the only City Council member that tried to influence the Planning Commission regarding this vote and he contacted a majority of the Commissioners, which is unprecedented, and has raised concerns regarding a Brown Act violation.

The Planning Commission is comprised of individual City Council appointees and does not have a specific Council liaison which means that all Council members are liaisons. According to City Council Resolution 99-84, Council liaisons “should not direct the advisory body towards specific actions or activities” . . . and “should not impact the outcome of a decision or a vote.”

Some might consider this type of influence peddling to be inappropriate and in violation of City policy – we’ll let others chew on that for a while and determine if an investigation or other action is warranted. Bohr, however, is no stranger to extending his influence where it may not be appropriate.

As a Planning Commissioner in 2003, he was forced to resign his appointment less than six months after being sworn in because of an influence-related allegation.

The HBDRA opposes the issuance of any more alcohol licenses in Downtown Huntington Beach due to the related crime associated with an undue concentration and over-saturation of alcohol consumption in the Downtown area. In January, it was announced by the State of California Office of Traffic Safety that Huntington Beach ranks #1 in alcohol related traffic accidents. Click HERE to read more.

In his 2008 City Council campaign website, it states, “Your vote for Keith Bohr means a commitment to maintain our low crime rate.” Perhaps Mr. Bohr can explain how adding another alcohol license in Downtown helps maintain our low crime rate. (Which, by the way, isn’t low at all.) Some might argue just the opposite. We don’t need another place to consume alcohol Downtown and we don’t need another alcohol related traffic accident or DUI fatality causing personal tragedy for families and individuals. Mr. Bohr, please withdraw your appeal.

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UPDATE FEBRUARY 12, 2011 On Thursday, February 10th, Baja Sharkeez received a letter from Huntington Beach Police Chief Ken Small advising the restaurant of changes to their Entertainment Permit.

Effective March 1st, citing a large number of violations and public safety concerns, the new Entertainment Permit will restrict entertainment at Sharkeez to 11:00PM daily, from its current time of 1:30AM.

The story was broken by the Huntington Beach Independent (click HERE).

The HBDRA Board of Directors issued an official statement:

“The board of the HBDRA stands with the Chief of Police in his bold efforts to reform the atmosphere and make Downtown Huntington Beach a safe and inviting place for guests and residents alike.

If the Chief or any City official would like to discuss further ways to implement solutions at Sharkeez or any other downtown locations, we would be willing and eager to meet representing the needs and concerns of the residents of Downtown Huntington Beach.”

In a private conversation with the owner of Sharkeez, HBDRA Spokesperson Kim Kramer, was assured that Sharkeez is sincerely interested in establishing new guidelines to accommodate the Chief’s concerns and will work diligently toward that goal.

The HBDRA board was given a presentation by Sharkeez with several innovative and pro-active suggestions to cut down on drinking and driving, reduce DUI’s and keep our community safe. It is a good start. The HBDRA encourages all Downtown late night bars to look at ways in which they can make our streets and community safer.

The City of Huntington Beach is currently the #1 city in the entire state for alcohol related traffic accidents (click HERE) – that must change.

STATE INVESTIGATES SHARKEEZ FOR DUIs

FEBRUARY 3, 2011 The State of California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) is investigating Downtown HB restaurant/bar, Baja Sharkeez, for allegedly being associated with too many DUI’s.

The Huntington Beach Independent broke the story on February 1st – to view the article, click HERE.

The HBDRA did its own DUI Analysis at the beginning of 2010 using crime statistics provided by the HBPD for the nearly two year period from January 1, 2008 through November 20, 2009. The study concluded that Sharkeez, at that time, was the #1 establishment allegedly contributing to the DUI problem in Huntington Beach, according to police data.

According to the HB Independent article, Sharkeez owner, Ron Newman, disputes the findings and concludes that the numbers can not be directly linked to his establishment. That would apply to the HBDRA analysis as well, and the HBDRA recognizes the relevance of his conclusions and those of the HBPD, hence we support a fair and impartial investigation.

The HBDRA analysis looked at the raw number of DUI’s and also the “per capita” numbers based on occupancy, evaluating all establishments that had more than 10 associated offenses according to the HBPD data. Based upon these two criteria, Sharkeez was rated #1 in both categories. And based on the establishments included in the study, Sharkeez was associated with 27.4% of the total DUIs (more than 3x as many) as compared with 8.3% if everything was distributed equally among all establishments in the study.

KTLA REPORTS ON HB EXCESSIVE DUIs

FEBRUARY 3, 2011 KTLA reporter Lynette Romero was Downtown this morning reporting on the excessive DUI problem with Huntington Beach.

HUNTINGTON BEACH (KTLA) — The state Office of Traffic and Safety has released new data suggesting that Huntington Beach has the largest number of alcohol-related crashes per-capita in California. And one bar in particular is in hot water, after police complaints that it’s been linked to an excessive number of drunk driving arrests. For the rest of the story and VIDEO, click HERE.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 3, 2011 The KTLA story has been picked up by The Huffington Post.

FOR MORE MEDIA COVERAGE . . . CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW:

FEBRUARY 3, 2011 SURF CITY’S ALCOHOLIC DOWNTOWN: BUILD IT AND THEY WILL DRINK (AND DRIVE)

FEBRUARY 2, 2011 STATE INVESTIGATING SHARKEEZ DUI DATA

FEBRUARY 2, 2011 STATE INVESTIGATING H.B. SHARKEEZ DUIs

FEBRAURY 2, 2011 COUNCILMAN’S ACTIONS “CALLS FOR CONCERN”

FEBRUARY 2, 2011 HUNTINGTON TOPS DUI COLLISIONS LIST

JANUARY 26, 2011 NO BEER, WINE FOR BOMBURGER

JANUARY 19, 2011 DUI ARRESTS WON’T GO PUBLIC

JANUARY 13, 2011 DUI CHECKPOINT PLANNED FOR BEACH BOULEVARD

JANUARY 13, 2011 DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT WANTS ALCOHOL PERMIT