City Council President Matos To Issue Series of Nightlife Safety Ordinances

City Council President Matos To Issue Series of Nightlife Safety Ordinances

City Council President Sabina Matos announced that she will issue multiple pieces of legislation on nightlife safety measures in Providence.

The announcement follows a series of violent acts, some resulting in deaths, over the last several months throughout Providence.

“Every summer, we read the headlines about nightclub-related acts of violence claiming young people’s lives and disrupting the peace of the neighborhoods they do business in. After a thorough assessment of what is and isn’t being done by the city in our regulation of nightlife establishments, I am proposing a comprehensive set of ordinances and resolutions that will set new and clear expectations for nightlife establishments, curb violence, and promote tranquility in the neighborhoods our children sleep in,” said Matos.

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The ordinances and resolutions will be referred to a committee where they will be vetted and allow for public comment and discourse.

In her drafting of the ordinances, Matos blocked the public and reporters from attending. Presently, the Rhode Island Attorney General is considering a GoLocal complaint against Matos and others for violating RI's open meetings laws.  She met with club owners and other contributors but her staff blocked the public from attending.

The Ordinances

The first proposed ordinance prohibits the issuance of any new 2:00 AM liquor licenses in C-1, C-2, and C-3 zones.

These specific zones are commercial corridors that run adjacent to residential neighborhoods (Atwells Avenue, Broad Street, Chalkstone Avenue, etc.)

According to Matos, it will accomplish several things:

• It will stop new 2 AM nightlife establishments from setting up shop next door to predominantly residential neighborhoods.
• It will spur the concentration of 2 AM nightlife establishments in downtown and other primarily non-residential locations, creating a local destination which is also easier to police and keep safe.
• Any new 1 AM nightlife establishments in C zones would allow patrons the opportunity to visit nearby 2 AM food establishments; supporting these food businesses and allowing patrons an opportunity to sober up. Currently, businesses like food trucks close at the same time patrons are let out.
• Any new 1 AM nightlife establishments in C zones will let out sooner than their 2 AM counterparts, effectively staggering when patrons exit night clubs and bars. This dissuades the mass exodus and massive crowds which often lead to confrontations.

 

The second proposed ordinance would require B-Class businesses to have video surveillance both indoors and outdoors at entrances and exits. 

People behave differently when they are being monitored. Often times, cameras preempt most incidents of violence before they begin. This measure will also help public safety officials in their investigations of crimes. Witnesses can be uncooperative when they’ve consumed too much alcohol. Video surveillance is an important missing piece in our nightlife public safety approach.

The third ordinance will create a codified schedule of penalties for violators, and will further define what a “nightclub” is, based upon the definition in the Zoning Ordinance.

Currently, there is no clear codified definition of what a nightclub is, and several establishments create a nightclub environment without abiding by the rules that the N-license imposes. This will ensure that businesses and managers are provided clarity and predictability in how they operate, and when violations occur what they will expect to see regarding fines.

The five violations that are punitively codified in the third ordinance are as follows:

• Entertainment without a license
• Prohibited bottle service
• Enforcement of operating hours and bar service
• Underage drinking and sales
• Smoking in public places