As you know, the North Miami Beach strip club “Black Diamonds” will be coming before the City Council this evening to request extended business hours from 4:00 to 6:00 am. Again. They are nothing if not persistent.
In a not so coincidental move, immediately preceding tonight’s Council meeting at the regularly scheduled Council Conference, the Agenda reflects two items that will be discussed:
- The Future of North Miami Beach: Prelude to Strategic Planning; and
- Discussion of Draft of Extended Hours Ordinance
By now the City Council should be aware that North Miami Beach residents hope that the Future of North Miami Beach does not include things like strip clubs, XXX adult video stores, palm readers and psychics, and, what the heck, I’ll throw in Asian “massage” parlors for the hell of it. The residents of North Miami Beach do want things like parks and recreational facilities, quality stores, restaurants and hotels, attractive streets and, most of all, safe neighborhoods.
Seriously, is that too much to ask?
The proposed Extended Hours Ordinance specifically targets businesses “selling, serving or delivering alcoholic beverages,” and will require such establishments to be in business for “a minimum of a six (6) month probationary period prior to the issuance of a 4:00 am to 6:00 am extended license.” During this probationary period, such businesses must maintain a “track record of good performance and/or Compliance with the City’s Code of Ordinances.”
Right out of the box, Black Diamonds has already proven itself to have a poor track record and a consistent refusal to comply with our City’s Code of Ordinances. On page 92 of the Agenda for tonight’s Council meeting, an Inter-Office Memorandum dated November 13, 2013 from then interim Police Chief Kathy Katerman to Public Services Director Shari Kamali reflects that from August 22, 2013 through November 13, 2013 “there were two (2) calls for service” to Black Diamonds. One was for a “Sick or Injured Person” at 3:41 am, and the other was for the purpose of a “Domestic Disturbance” at 5:00 am.
Considering that the current license for Black Diamonds only allows them to remain open until 4:00 am, I just gotta ask this burning question:
“Why was there a domestic disturbance at your place of business A FULL HOUR AFTER YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CLOSED?”
Not included in the Agenda, but as I already pointed out in one of my many previous columns about this problem (yes, Black Diamonds, you don’t corner the market on persistence!), there were three additional “calls for service” to this adult entertainment establishment from November 20, 2013 through December 1, 2013 AFTER ITS 4:00 AM MANDATED CLOSING TIME.
So, yeah, I’m thinking that “Compliance with the City’s Code of Ordinances” isn’t high on the priority list for this business, which has only been in operation for approximately two months. If the proposed Ordinance requiring a six month probationary period were already in effect, this business would have already shot itself in the foot.
By contrast, on page 93 of the Agenda, an Inter-Office Memorandum dated August 21, 2013 from then Chief of Police Larry Gomer to Director of Public Services Shari Kamali reflects that from the period of September 6, 2012 through August 21, 2013, when Swinging Richards occupied the premises, there were “nineteen (19) calls for service.” Three of those appear to have been violent in nature and resulted in arrests. The remainder ranged from incidents as minor as a “lost or stolen tag” to other crimes against property (theft) and disturbances between patrons, employees and a drunk person. While no one is happy with the police having to be called at all, all things considered, nineteen calls in eleven and a half months to a business “selling, serving or delivering alcoholic beverages” is probably within the “normal” range.
Most important to note is that when Swinging Richards was in operation, only three of those calls resulting in an “investigation” (including that “lost or stolen tag”) were between the hours of 5:00 and 6:00 am. NONE of the “disturbance” or violent calls were made after 4:00 am, which proves that the extended business hours afforded to Swinging Richards did not affect its “track record of good performance and/or Compliance with the City’s Code of Ordinances.”
The same cannot be said for Black Diamonds, which has already proven a bad track record and a proclivity to non-compliance with our Ordinances. In less than three months to boot!
All things considered, it would behoove the North Miami Beach City Council to refuse Black Diamonds’ request for extended hours tonight. Just say “HELL NO!“
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
I fear that as long as we live in this Libertarian/ Nietzschean atmosphere of burning rejection of conventional morality we don’t have a prayer of stopping the influx of strip clubs, peep stores, and “massage” parlors. Business is good, limitations are bad, and money is God.
The meeting was CRAZY! The request did not pass. I’ll be writing a blog later today.
Stephanie, you know I am a big fan. But putting strip clubs in same bad category as palm readers? You know there is some science behind that, and my reader (and psychic:) ) told me the request would not pass! Anyway, look forward to the CRAZY report.
Funny you should say that. My cat reads my tea leaves and she got insulted by my remark. If I had listened to her, I also would have known it wouldn’t pass.
I’m working on the CRAZY report as we speak. Hopefully will publish later this afternoon/early evening.