The Pacific Beach Planning Group (PBPG) is asking the community to lobby City Council representatives for a moratorium on alcohol licenses to businesses locally. The appeal was made during a community forum June 14. The meeting was conducted by the Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC), a subcommittee of the PBPG. Committee members asked residents to push for a moratorium until such time as the City Council can be convinced to enact an ordinance allowing the city to utilize conditional-use permits (CUP) to curb alcohol-related crime in Pacific Beach. “We appreciate the police in our community,” said Scott Chipman, who serves on the PBPG and ALRC. He urged residents to do more. Alcohol licenses become personal property, giving recipients the opportunity to change the original intent of the license, Chipman said. ALRC members said many restaurants are using alcohol licenses that were originally purchased for restaurants typically open until 10 p.m. But subcommittee members contend that over the years, the original restaurant intent “morphed” into bars, which are open until 2 a.m. It is state policy to have one alcohol license for every 2,000 people, according to ALRC members. However, Pacific Beach has one license per every 312 people, Chipman said. ALRC members acknowledged that Pacific Beach has the same number of alcohol licenses as 30 years ago. “We aren’t blaming these establishments,” Chipman said. “They’re just taking advantage of the policy.” Marcie Beckett, another ALRC member, said license abuses do not happen across the board. “We have lots of restaurants that are very good and don’t create problems,” Beckett said. However, under the current policy, committee members contend, the community has little or no control. Other communities have dealt with similar issues by using conditional-use permits, bypassing involvement by the California Alcohol Beverage Control Department (ABC). During the community forum, Ventura police officer Derek Donswyk detailed that city’s active CUP program and its inner workings. Ventura is a beach community of 120,000 residents. Donswyk, who is the alcohol enforcement officer for Ventura, said the campaign is called the Responsible Retailer Program. Ventura’s City Council approved the ordinance in 2007. Under the program, retailers agree to inspections in order to verify compliance with its type of alcohol license. Businesses also agree to receive education for its employees. All new or modified businesses must comply with this policy. Establishments already in business participate on a voluntary basis. “I know what they can do and can’t do and they [businesses] know this,” Donswyk said. His job is solely to enforce alcohol rules for businesses with alcohol licenses. The Ventura CUP allows the city to have control over an ABC issue by placing restrictions and mandates on the bars and restaurants such as compliance, entertainment permits, education and inspections, he said. For example, if a retailer has drawn too many complaints, Donswyk has the authority to take away business hours from the establishment, forcing it to close early. The school district there pays for the education aspect of the program, Donswyk said. During the last fiscal year, the city of Ventura brought in nearly $173,300 from fees associated with the program. Reported crimes against a person in Ventura totaled 7,172 in 2005, but in 2008 dropped to 4,164, he said. “Nothing will happen if we don’t make it happen,” Beckett said, trying to rally the audience to action.