Strongly disagree. The restaurants in Hermosa have been struggling to stay alive for well over a year. Passing this would take away their ability to serve the local patrons and employee hundreds of restaurant workers.
As a sand section Hermosa Beach local, I strongly oppose this notion.
It is masked by the intention of wanting the best for our community and its businesses, when in reality it would completely wipe out our beloved pier restaurants. Our community is not “plagued” as it is written.
This seeks to solve problems that don’t exist and is an absurd use of our focus inland energy coming out of the year that the service industry just survived.
Terrible for business and too much government control. Can't we just enjoy beach life and not have ridiculous ordinances in place? We are grown-ups and responsible citizens...please leave us alone! Live and let live!
I'm writing to express a deep concern regarding the proposed ordinance currently being discussed changing how bars and restaurants will do business on Pier Plaza post-pandemic.
The goals of the ordinance are all positive. Lowering crime, increasing safety, and reducing one of the largest single expenses in the city budget are all laudable goals I think everyone in Hermosa Beach can get behind.
Unfortunately, the specific proposed ordinance coupled with a perception in the business community that it's aimed at fundamentally altering the culture and status quo on the pier vs. just being about public safety has created an environment where any positive impact this ordinance might bring will be overwhelmingly negated by the backlash.
The situation that's resulted is that the business community is essentially gearing up for a legal and PR war with the city. The negative impact of the hubris and expense of that war will far outweigh any benefit that comes from the new ordinance as currently written.
Even if the city somehow prevails on all points in the ordinance, the result will be an enormous amount of time and money spent on something that isn't at the top of many residents' or businesses' list of things that the city staff and council should be spending their time and our taxes on. Speaking for myself, I'd much rather see the city's time spent on infrastructure and figuring out ways to help our businesses recover from the most trying economic times we've seen in America in decades.
I applaud the city's attempt to lower crime and reduce expense on the Pier, but this specific approach and ordinance seem poised to cause far more problems than they solve for our city. In speaking with business owners, employees, and entertainers who work on Pier Plaza there seems near-unanimous opposition to this ordinance.
To defuse the rapidly escalating tension I strongly suggest that the Council make clear that the ordinance as written is a non-starter, and that lawsuits, PR campaigns, and grassroots organizing that's already underway won't be necessary to fight it.
After a brief "cooling off" period where goodwill can be re-established with the business community, I hope the city staff can re-engage with the stakeholders on Pier Plaza along with residents to begin work on a plan to accomplish the goals of this ordinance with the enthusiastic participation of everyone involved.
This is a massive waste of time and money. After the hit that bars and restaurants took during the pandemic, you'd think the rational thing to do is to support them, not hamstring them with more ridiculous regulations.
Just move to a retirement center if people enjoying the company of others bothers you so much. Whoever proposed this should resign. They clearly are not in touch with the residents of Hermosa.
so let me get this straight, things were “better” during the pandemic? well i suppose if you don’t like people and didn’t own a local business this past year, perhaps you’re right.
hermosa is fortunate to have many establishments that chose to remain in business when it probably would have been much easier and financially prudent to close permanently (as many local bars and restaurants were forced to do). i know many local businesses were hoping to once again serve well behaved, longtime customers and re-employ staff...all with the apparently naive thought that city government would support and encourage local business when covid restrictions were lifted. instead, as some hope starts to take hold and our community starts to come out of the worst pandemic in 100 years, these local fixtures now face draconian, unenforceable, arbitrary measures that give almost unlimited and unprecedented power to an unelected police chief. (due process be damned.) these new regulations are clearly and simply meant to drive visitors out of hermosa. but make no mistake, it will drive local businesses out as well, although i suspect that is the parallel intent of this overreaching legislation.
“The Downtown Alcohol Establishment License is established to encourage the responsible operation of businesses in the Downtown Area and to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare of the surrounding community.”
this preamble to the proposed legislation is wildly ironic as local business owners need exactly
zero “encouragment” to operate their businesses responsibly — they’re already doing it. in many cases, they are not just local business owners, but hermosa beach residents who care greatly about this community — including its health and safety. they’re HB chamber of commerce members... they sponsor little league teams and local charities...they’re men and women who are proud of our community and proud to own local businesses here. now after an unthinkable year of economic stress, the city council —instead of doing everything in their power to help local businesses prosper — is putting up a giant “you’re not welcome here” sign, not only for visitors, but hermosa beach establishments.
Any member of the City Council that supports this legislation should immediately resign as they are clearly no longer fit to represent the city of Hermosa Beach anymore. Moving forward with this legislation will be considered as the gauntlet being officially thrown. Prepare for a fight.
Hermosa residents oppose the ordinance that would, among other things, reduce the total capacity of bars and restaurants to the existing amount of seats, ban lines and task bars and restaurants with preventing patrons from waiting on city property, broadly expand the punitive powers of the police chief and essentially make it impossible for any bar or restaurant to continue existing. DON'T LET THIS PASS! Hermosa is amazing because of the nightlife, closing everything early would make it Manhattan Beach 2.0 which is LAME!
Strongly disagree. The restaurants in Hermosa have been struggling to stay alive for well over a year. Passing this would take away their ability to serve the local patrons and employee hundreds of restaurant workers.
Let Hermosa recover!
Absolutely oppose the ordinance to reduce total capacity of bars and restaurants to the existing amount of seats, etc.
This is not good for the community
I strongly oppose this ordinance!
As a sand section Hermosa Beach local, I strongly oppose this notion.
It is masked by the intention of wanting the best for our community and its businesses, when in reality it would completely wipe out our beloved pier restaurants. Our community is not “plagued” as it is written.
This seeks to solve problems that don’t exist and is an absurd use of our focus inland energy coming out of the year that the service industry just survived.
Terrible for business and too much government control. Can't we just enjoy beach life and not have ridiculous ordinances in place? We are grown-ups and responsible citizens...please leave us alone! Live and let live!
To the Council and City Staff,
I'm writing to express a deep concern regarding the proposed ordinance currently being discussed changing how bars and restaurants will do business on Pier Plaza post-pandemic.
The goals of the ordinance are all positive. Lowering crime, increasing safety, and reducing one of the largest single expenses in the city budget are all laudable goals I think everyone in Hermosa Beach can get behind.
Unfortunately, the specific proposed ordinance coupled with a perception in the business community that it's aimed at fundamentally altering the culture and status quo on the pier vs. just being about public safety has created an environment where any positive impact this ordinance might bring will be overwhelmingly negated by the backlash.
The situation that's resulted is that the business community is essentially gearing up for a legal and PR war with the city. The negative impact of the hubris and expense of that war will far outweigh any benefit that comes from the new ordinance as currently written.
Even if the city somehow prevails on all points in the ordinance, the result will be an enormous amount of time and money spent on something that isn't at the top of many residents' or businesses' list of things that the city staff and council should be spending their time and our taxes on. Speaking for myself, I'd much rather see the city's time spent on infrastructure and figuring out ways to help our businesses recover from the most trying economic times we've seen in America in decades.
I applaud the city's attempt to lower crime and reduce expense on the Pier, but this specific approach and ordinance seem poised to cause far more problems than they solve for our city. In speaking with business owners, employees, and entertainers who work on Pier Plaza there seems near-unanimous opposition to this ordinance.
To defuse the rapidly escalating tension I strongly suggest that the Council make clear that the ordinance as written is a non-starter, and that lawsuits, PR campaigns, and grassroots organizing that's already underway won't be necessary to fight it.
After a brief "cooling off" period where goodwill can be re-established with the business community, I hope the city staff can re-engage with the stakeholders on Pier Plaza along with residents to begin work on a plan to accomplish the goals of this ordinance with the enthusiastic participation of everyone involved.
I strongly oppose this ordinance.
This is a massive waste of time and money. After the hit that bars and restaurants took during the pandemic, you'd think the rational thing to do is to support them, not hamstring them with more ridiculous regulations.
As a bartender in hermosa I highly disagree with what the city is trying to do as this job is how I survive and have a roof over my head
Just move to a retirement center if people enjoying the company of others bothers you so much. Whoever proposed this should resign. They clearly are not in touch with the residents of Hermosa.
This is an irrational proposal and in no way benefits the city, it’s businesses or our residents. Very awful idea!
Help the businesses recover, not bring them down more!
No regulations on the capacity at Hermosa bars or lines outside.
so let me get this straight, things were “better” during the pandemic? well i suppose if you don’t like people and didn’t own a local business this past year, perhaps you’re right.
hermosa is fortunate to have many establishments that chose to remain in business when it probably would have been much easier and financially prudent to close permanently (as many local bars and restaurants were forced to do). i know many local businesses were hoping to once again serve well behaved, longtime customers and re-employ staff...all with the apparently naive thought that city government would support and encourage local business when covid restrictions were lifted. instead, as some hope starts to take hold and our community starts to come out of the worst pandemic in 100 years, these local fixtures now face draconian, unenforceable, arbitrary measures that give almost unlimited and unprecedented power to an unelected police chief. (due process be damned.) these new regulations are clearly and simply meant to drive visitors out of hermosa. but make no mistake, it will drive local businesses out as well, although i suspect that is the parallel intent of this overreaching legislation.
“The Downtown Alcohol Establishment License is established to encourage the responsible operation of businesses in the Downtown Area and to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare of the surrounding community.”
this preamble to the proposed legislation is wildly ironic as local business owners need exactly
zero “encouragment” to operate their businesses responsibly — they’re already doing it. in many cases, they are not just local business owners, but hermosa beach residents who care greatly about this community — including its health and safety. they’re HB chamber of commerce members... they sponsor little league teams and local charities...they’re men and women who are proud of our community and proud to own local businesses here. now after an unthinkable year of economic stress, the city council —instead of doing everything in their power to help local businesses prosper — is putting up a giant “you’re not welcome here” sign, not only for visitors, but hermosa beach establishments.
Any member of the City Council that supports this legislation should immediately resign as they are clearly no longer fit to represent the city of Hermosa Beach anymore. Moving forward with this legislation will be considered as the gauntlet being officially thrown. Prepare for a fight.
Help our businesses recover! This isn’t helpful!
Ridiculous, support our police force to handle law breakers not take away freedom.
We strongly oppose the ordinance that will restrict our ability to socialize, dance, and live our lives to the fullest after 10pm.
Hermosa residents oppose the ordinance that would, among other things, reduce the total capacity of bars and restaurants to the existing amount of seats, ban lines and task bars and restaurants with preventing patrons from waiting on city property, broadly expand the punitive powers of the police chief and essentially make it impossible for any bar or restaurant to continue existing. DON'T LET THIS PASS! Hermosa is amazing because of the nightlife, closing everything early would make it Manhattan Beach 2.0 which is LAME!