South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
New rules on partying
Bars and restaurants in late-night hot spot may face new regulations
Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue hot spots are a little too hot for city officials.
A boisterous nightlife, fueled by bustling restaurants, lively bars and rollicking parties, is creating safety hazards, noise and crowds that overflow into the streets.
Now the city wants to regulate some of the street’s evening destinations, including how restaurants transition into nightclubs each evening and where patrons can socialize outside bars.
“There are many antiquated rules we need to address,” Commissioner Ryan Boylston said. “We are going to continue to see these crowds. We are the hot spot in south county now.”
Several South Florida hot spots have worked to get their nighttime revelries under control over the past few years. Many entertainment districts were not designed for the enormous crowds that are congregating, especially during special events that can attract thousands.
Fort Lauderdale has been working on controlling noise in its entertainment districts as the number of housing developments explodes. Lauderdale Lakes residents have expressed concerns about nightclubs retaining crowds in their parking lots even after they close at 4 a.m.
Over the past 20 years, Atlantic Avenue, a walkable east-west street that stretches from west of Interstate 95 to the ocean, has grown from a sleepy retail center into a lively mecca for foodies, people-watchers and partiers. There are also parades, street festivals, art fairs and outdoor dining events.
The section east of Swinton Avenue is an intense area of activity. There are more than 100 lunch and dinner restaurants and seven stand-alone bars.
Delray Beach resident Tony Belmont, who attends happy hours on Atlantic Avenue twice a week, said he and his friends often have to search for a bar that’s not too crowded and loud. He said there are plenty of restaurants but not enough afterdinner activities.
“You have your dinner, now what do you do?” said Belmont, 59.
About 20,000 people stroll through on a typical winter weekend day, while as many as 40,000 pack the sidewalks during special events, according to the city’s Downtown Development Authority.
In 2016, Delray Beach began reining in the dozens of festivals that close Atlantic Avenue to cars and irritate local residents with an influx of visitors who come to party. They prohibited amusement rides, banned some food trucks and limited athletic events that use public streets to two per month.
They also required festival-promoters who want to organize events in Delray Beach to pay higher fees and abide by a list of restrictions, including paying the full price for police and fire protection.
Still, when the crowds descend, some bars are having trouble controlling the partiers, said Tim Stillings, the city’s development services director. He cited Santacon, an annual pub crawl that took place on Dec. 18, as a night when bars were pushed past their capacities and police had to be called
The crowds also make a lot of noise, affect traffic and attract panhandlers, Stillings said.
Stand-alone bars are not allowed to have patrons drink outside, even on an outdoor patio, although restaurants can have outdoor seating areas, Stillings said.
Frog Lounge owner Gene Playter said he would be thrilled if the city changed its rules to allow stand-alone bars to serve liquor outside.
“Smoking laws changed, and now smokers want to go outside and still be social,” Playter said. “Every now and then we find someone went outside with a drink. It would be nice if we could get a cafe permit so we could create an area with tables and chairs outside and people could enjoy the weather as they socialize.”
Another problem, Stillings said, is restaurants that transition into nightclubs, usually about 10 p.m. Some restaurants are moving dinner tables to create dance floors and blocking exits and alleyways, creating fire safety code violations.
Restaurants and bars want to work with the city to solve these problems, said Laura Simon, the Downtown Development Authority’s executive director. A City Commission workshop will explore some options on Thursday.
“The question is how can we work with the establishments to grow their nightlife after 10 p.m. and make sure everyone has a safe and great experience,” Simon said.