People First Belmont Shore Safety Approach - Outline

Michele Simon

— 2 min read

The Belmont Shore Residents Association (BSRA) has published a 15-page safety approach you can read here. Below is a simplified outline of that document.

I. Purpose and People-First Framework

  • Center public health, safety, and quality of life over nightlife promotion
  • Recognize that compliance alone is insufficient in a residential corridor
  • Ground policy in prevention, accountability, transparency, and resident experience

II. The Human Cost

  • Three late-night homicides tied to the same concentrated nightlife environment
  • Demonstrates harms are real, foreseeable, and preventable

III. Overconcentration and How We Got Here

  • Second Street is a state-defined overconcentrated alcohol area
  • City acknowledged risk while allowing intensified alcohol service
  • Public health research links overconcentration to violence and disorder

IV. Why the Downtown Entertainment Model Fails

  • Belmont Shore is a residential neighborhood, not an entertainment district
  • DDED model conflicts with land-use policy and Council assurances
  • Requires a people-first prevention framework, not a nightlife model

V. Absence of Data and Resident Engagement

  • Reliance on aggregate crime data masks lived impacts
  • No outlet-specific analysis, overservice review, or resident surveys
  • Residents excluded while businesses were engaged
  • Lack of expert input in public health and alcohol policy

VI. Harm Prevention and Quality-of-Life Measures

A. Noise Control

  • Enforceable standards for amplified sound, patios, sidewalks, and late-night activity
  • Address noise from intoxicated patrons and vehicles
  • Allow resident sound measurement

B. Nuisance Abatement

  • Treat repeated nuisance as a foreseeable operational impact
  • Extend responsibility beyond premises to adjacent areas

C. Security Requirements

  • Baseline and scaled staffing tied to risk and occupancy
  • Active crowd management and dispersal duties

D. Parking Lot and Adjacent Area Management

  • Require operators to police proximate parking lots and gathering areas
  • Prohibit loitering and outside drinking
  • Ensure orderly post-closing dispersal

E. Overservice and Food Service Controls

  • Enforce Responsible Beverage Service requirements
  • Prevent early kitchen closures that convert restaurants into bars
  • Enforce food-to-alcohol conditions and refer violations to ABC

F. Entertainment Licenses

  • Entertainment licenses enable late-night venue morphing
  • Conditions have failed to prevent harm
  • No new or renewed entertainment licenses on Second Street

G. Advertising and Promotion

  • Discourage discounting and alcohol-centric promotions
  • Apply standards to signage, visibility, and social media

VII. Accountability and Enforcement

A. Structural Accountability

  • Single, independent alcohol-policy coordinator
  • Centralized oversight, tracking, and resident communication

B. Dedicated Alcohol Policy Enforcement Team

  • Standing team combining civilian enforcement and targeted police involvement
  • Fee-funded by alcohol outlets

C. Transparency on Conditions

  • All conditions publicly accessible and posted on-site
  • Consistent application across establishments

D. Resident Reporting and GoLongBeach App

  • Alcohol-specific reporting tied to conditions
  • Evidence uploads and transparent follow-up

E. Public Alcohol-Outlet Dashboard

  • Outlet-specific complaints, enforcement, and compliance data

F. Funding and Capacity

  • Impact-based, tiered fees to pay for proactive enforcement
  • Dedicated “alcohol enforcement officer” similar to City of Ventura
  • Shift from complaint-driven to prevention-oriented oversight

G. Meter Revenue Oversight

  • Address ineffective use of parking meter funds for security

VIII. Conclusion

  • Adopt a resident-centered, prevention-focused alcohol policy
  • Align enforcement, funding, and transparency with real-world impacts
  • Restore trust through meaningful accountability

Read more