The Santa Monica municipal council approved a new entertainment area along the third street walk, allowing adults to consume alcoholic drinks outside with progressive implementation from next month.
The entertainment area will initially operate from Friday to Sunday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. from early June, the official launch planned for the city’s annual pride on the celebration of the walk on June 21.
“The new entertainment zone will offer visitors a unique way to discover the emblematic walk of the third street which is aimed at new trends in shopping and catering,” said Mayor Lana Negrete. “This is an example of the many ways that Santa Monica thinks in a creative way of our economic growth.”
The approved area will cover the 1200-1400 blocks of the promenade, between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway. Companies with current alcohol licenses can participate by signing an agreement with the City.
As part of the approved plan, participating companies must verify that customers are at least 21 years old and provide bracelets approved by the city which must be worn while consuming alcohol outside. Drinks must be served in non -metallic, non -metallic containers and customers cannot bring their drinks to other companies.
Drinks cannot be taken in other companies in the city center and officials have said that the walk will remain open to visitors of all ages. City community development and public security personnel will provide regular updates to deployment and make adjustments if necessary.
Consulting Caroline Torosis said that the city had almost no drunk and disorderly arrest in the city center, which means that managers can easily identify and respond to any increase in crime.
“So, if people want it, we must behave like responsible citizens, so we do not revoke it,” she said.
The director of town planning, Jing Yeo, said that the way the rules are written, they can be revised or revised at any time.
“I think it is important to note that there is no obligation for the city to continue the program,” she said. “It can be stopped immediately if problems arise. It is not a right for a company to do so, so we can be very sensitive to the call of dead time. ”
The entertainment area is the first of its kind in southern California, activated by California Senate Bill 969, which has entered into force this year, allowing local governments to create designated external areas where prohibitions of open containers are lifted.
The approved program is one step back compared to the first project of the rules of the rules, but is always an expansion of the proposal presented by the staff.
The Council initially examined a more extensive proposal at its meeting on May 13, which would have established a permanent entertainment area operating daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., this proposal, presented as an emergency order for an immediate effect, would have covered all the public streets, the sidewalks and the duties on Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway.
However, this would have required nearly $ 700,000 in police services to patrol in the area at these extended hours and retreat the weekend time coincides with existing police services.
The proposal aroused strong criticism from residents before the meeting and this theme continued with the opponents targeting noise and security problems.
“I cannot believe that the council is planning. This will only increase noise, public intoxication and violence as well as degrading the image of our city and discouraging tourists. Please stop this madness, ”wrote Deborah Roetman in a written statement.
The supporters of the proposal said that the city should do something to revitalize the promenade and that the area would generate new opportunities for social and economic growth.
“I just wanted to speak frankly about my excitement about the type of community that allows us to create in San Monica, and the capacity to have these gathering spaces and enabled spaces with events where we can all come together and really enjoy our time in Santa Monica,” said Connor Webb.
City officials have cited ongoing economic challenges from the 19 Covid-19 pandemic and recent forest fires from Southern California as motivations for the initiative, which aims to stimulate economic recovery and make “Santa Monica a dynamic cultural hub”.
Torosis reiterated its support for the idea as a vital tool for the city.
“I still want to express my solid support for the intention behind the entertainment area, revitalizing our city center,” she said. “I think we all have to stay focused on what we are trying to do here. We are trying to revitalize the city center. We are trying to support our small businesses, and we try to bring pleasure, joy and dynamism to promenade.”
The Community Development Department finalizes the management plan and works with the city center of Santa Monica, Inc. to install the signaling communicating the rules and limits of the entertainment area.
“Few places in the country have the potential to compete with the coastal climate of Santa Monica all year round, and this new experience will raise our downtown more as the right to socialize and connect,” said Andrew Thomas, CEO of downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
