ACTION NEEDED: Safety policy for Belmont Shore
After three murders in 18 months in and around Belmont Shore’s late-night alcohol district, the City is deciding what steps will be required to prevent further alcohol-related harm, including expectations around noise, safety, crowd control, and real accountability. These decisions will directly affect residents’ safety and quality of life.
The problem: the City has already begun dialing in its approach, with significant input from the local alcohol lobby. If residents do not step in now, these decisions will be locked in without us. City officials have explicitly asked for resident input now. This is the moment to share our lived experiences and have a voice in vital policymaking. You can read more about this at our FAQs posted here and read the full document here.
Two actions — both important — by January 28:
- Send your input (takes 2 minutes)
The Belmont Shore Residents Association has prepared resident-focused talking points, pasted below. The City is asking us to send feedback through this online form. You can copy and paste the text below as-is or edit it to add your own experience. - Join the Zoom to speak directly to the City
On January 28 at 5pm, the City is hosting a virtual meeting to learn more about their proposal. You can register for that meeting here. The more of showing up the better.
Please forward this to neighbors and encourage them to participate. Separate Zoom log-ins are strongly encouraged — individual participation matters and is counted. If residents don’t speak up now, the City will decide without us. This is the moment to show up.
COPY AND POST FOR THE ONLINE COMMENT FORM linked here
City Officials:
I am a Belmont Shore resident writing about the City’s proposal on preventing alcohol-related harm in and around Belmont Shore’s late-night alcohol district.
After three murders in 18 months, it is no longer acceptable to rely on complaint-based enforcement, police call data, or informal cooperation with businesses. Harm prevention requires funded, proactive enforcement with consequences.
I am urging the City to require, at minimum:
• Mandatory fees on late-night alcohol-serving businesses to pay for an alcohol-harm enforcement team
• Dedicated alcohol enforcement officer(s) assigned to late-night alcohol activity, with authority to monitor and act proactively
• Routine late-night compliance checks that do not depend on residents calling or city staff that only work 9-5.
• Clear, escalating consequences for violations, including fines, operating restrictions, suspension of late-night privileges, or loss of permits
• Public reporting of enforcement actions, so residents can see when rules are actually enforced at which establishments
Without dedicated funding, assigned responsibility, and consequences that are actually used, harm prevention will remain rhetorical.
I urge the City to adopt an enforcement model that matches the seriousness of the harms already experienced in Belmont Shore.
Thank you,
[Name]
[Belmont Shore street name]