[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Mount Laurel 8-30-1938 as Ord. No. 1938-2.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
This chapter is for the purpose of limiting the number of licenses to be issued, fixing license fees and regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages in the Township of Mount Laurel, in the County of Burlington and State of New Jersey, in accordance with the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Law, being Revised Statutes, Title 33, Chapter 1, as amended and supplemented, and in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated or to be promulgated by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control applicable hereto, and in accordance with the rules and regulations existing herein or hereafter adopted by competent municipal authority not inconsistent with the said Act or said rules and regulations of said Division.
It shall be unlawful to sell or distribute alcoholic
beverages otherwise than as provided in this chapter and/or said Act.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
The Township Council of the Township of Mount
Laurel, in the County of Burlington and State of New Jersey, being
the governing body of said Township, shall constitute the authority
for the distribution or issuance of licenses hereunder and for the
suspension or revocation of any license issued by the said governing
body.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13; 5-15-1995 by Ord. No.
1995-20]
No license shall be issued by the governing
body of the Township except after written application presented by
the proposed licensee, upon a form approved by the New Jersey Division
of Alcoholic Beverage Control and in accordance with this chapter.
All applications for licenses under this chapter and all licenses
issued hereunder and proceedings in connection herewith shall be subject
to the Alcoholic Beverage Law found generally at Title 33 of the New
Jersey Statutes, as amended and supplemented from time to time. All
applications for licenses under this chapter and all licenses issued
hereunder and proceedings in connection therewith shall be also subject
to all of the rules and regulations properly issued by the Division
of Alcoholic Beverage Control of the State of New Jersey and to any
other statute or regulation of the State of New Jersey or of the United
States of America now existing or hereinafter enacted affecting the
within subject matter.
No license shall be issued for the sale and
distribution of alcoholic beverages by the governing body of the Township
of Mount Laurel unless the same has been approved by the majority
of the members of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Laurel,
in the County of Burlington and State of New Jersey.
[Amended 2-19-1947 by Ord. No. 1947-1; 11-5-1947 by Ord. No.
1947-3; 4-2-1962 by Ord. No. 1962-6; 5-19-1969 by Ord. No.
1969-8; 5-18-1970 by Ord. No. 1970-4; 12-6-1971 by Ord. No.
71-14; 11-19-1973 by Ord. No. 1973-13; 9-15-1975 by Ord. No.
1975-7]
A.
The license fees to be paid hereunder shall be as
follows:
[Amended 12-1-1980 by Ord. No. 1980-36; 5-1-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-16; 5-21-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-17; 5-3-1993 by Ord. No. 1993-7; 5-15-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-20; 9-15-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-24]
B.
All license fees shall be paid in cash or by certified
check, made to the order of the Township of Mount Laurel, in the County
of Burlington, State of New Jersey, and shall be deposited with the
Clerk of the Township at the time of the filing of the written application,
and all such receipts shall be turned over by the Township Clerk,
when and as received, to the Township Treasurer.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
The Township Clerk is hereby authorized and
directed, after the approval of issuance of any license by the Township
Council, to prepare, issue and sign such licenses on behalf of the
Township Council, and every license shall bear the Seal of the Township
of Mount Laurel, and said Township Clerk shall keep a complete and
full record of all applications and licenses granted by said Township
Council.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
Every license which shall hereafter be issued
shall be exposed to public view in a conspicuous place in the premises
licensed, and any omission to do so shall be presumptive evidence
that the premises where alcoholic beverages are being sold is unlicensed.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
No licensee shall sell, serve or deliver, or
allow, permit or suffer the service or delivery of, any alcoholic
beverage, directly or indirectly, to any persons under the age prescribed
by law or allow, permit or suffer the consumption of alcoholic beverages
by any such persons upon the licensed premises.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-13]
A.
No licensee shall sell or offer for sale, serve or
deliver any alcoholic beverage, nor suffer or permit the sale, service
or delivery of any alcoholic beverage upon the licensed premises,
directly or indirectly, between the hours of 3:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.,
Eastern standard time, of any weekday, or between 3:00 a.m. and 10:00
a.m. on any Sunday.
B.
No licensee shall sell or deliver, or allow, permit
or suffer the sale or delivery of, any distilled spirits at retail
in its original container for consumption off the licensed premises,
or allow, permit or suffer the removal of any distilled spirits in
its original or opened container from retail licensed premises, before
9:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. on any weekday or before 10:00 a.m.
or after 10:00 p.m. on any Sunday.
A.
No more than one retail consumption license shall
be issued for every 3,000 of population of Mount Laurel Township,
as shown by the last preceding Federal Census; provided, however,
that nothing herein shall prohibit the granting of such license to
a hotel containing at least 100 sleeping rooms, but if such new license
is granted there shall be no renewal or transfer thereof except for
or to premises operated by the licensee as a hotel containing at least
100 sleeping rooms.
[Amended 12-18-1946 by Ord. No. 1946-4; 11-5-1947 by Ord. No. 1947-3; 4-2-1962 by Ord. No. 1962-6; 8-19-1968 by Ord. No.
1968-15; 2-15-1971 by Ord. No. 1971-2; 8-3-1981 by Ord. No.
1981-13; 5-15-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-20]
B.
No more than one plenary retail distribution license
shall be issued for every 7,500 of population of Mount Laurel Township,
as shown by the last preceding Federal Census.
[Amended 11-16-1970 by Ord. No. 1970-23; 2-15-1971 by Ord. No. 1971-2; 12-30-1977 by Ord. No. 1977-21; 5-15-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-20; 12-3-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-17]
C.
No more than two club licenses shall be issued and
outstanding in Mount Laurel Township at the same time.
[Amended 12-3-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-17]
Any license issued pursuant to this chapter may be suspended or revoked for violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or for violation of any of the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Law, being Title 33, Chapter 1, of the Revised Statutes, as amended and supplemented, or any of the rules or regulations promulgated by the Director of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
[Added 5-1-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-16]
Applications for renewal of licenses must be
filed with the Township Clerk not later than June 1 of the licensed
year for which the renewal is sought. All applications filed after
said date by holders of licenses which have expired at the close of
the previous license year shall be classified as applications for
new licenses.
[Added 4-18-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-10]
A.
The governing
body of Mount Laurel Township approves the use of outdoor open liquor
containers consistent with this section in the following locations:
(1)
Rancocas
Woods Shopping Area which area runs from the intersection of Creek
Road and Rancocas Boulevard to 212 Creek Rd.
B.
The use
of the outdoor open containers is subject to the following regulations
and procedures:
(2)
The
Township Council, by resolution, may designate other areas within
the Township for special events during hours that are limited and
permitted by a permit to be issued by the Township of Mount Laurel.
C.
Conditions
under which a person may consume an alcoholic beverage in an Open
Container Zone:
(1)
The
person must be at least 21 years of age;
(2)
No
open containers shall be permitted before 11:00 a.m. or after 11:00
p.m.;
(3)
Alcoholic
beverages consumed in the Open Container Zone must have been purchased
from a licensed beverage establishment adjacent to or located within
the Open Container Zone;
(4)
All
alcoholic beverages in the Open Container Zone must be in a plastic
container bearing the name and/or logo of the seller;
(5)
The
alcoholic beverage container may not exceed 16 fluid ounces.
(6)
If
the alcoholic beverage container contains any hard alcohol, it must
have a lid which is removed and replaced immediately following drinking.
(7)
No
open container of an alcoholic beverage may be removed from the Open
Container Zone;
(8)
No
open container of an alcoholic beverage may be consumed in any motor
vehicle whether or not in the Open Container Zone.
D.
Violations
and penalties. Any person who shall violate any of the terms or provisions
of this chapter or who shall commit or do any act or thing in this
chapter prohibited shall, upon conviction thereof before the Municipal
Judge or other Judge authorized to hear and determine the matter,
be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not exceeding 90 days
or forfeit and pay a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both, or be subject
to a period of community service not exceeding 90 days.
