Laws concerning alcoholic beverage control are contained in Title 33 of the New Jersey State Statutes. All ordinances must be in conformity with these provisions and approved by the Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control, N.J.S.A. 33:1-40. State law prescribes the types of licenses that may be issued, their number, permissible license fees and the regulation of licensed premises, N.J.S.A. 33:1-40.
Editor's Note: Prior ordinance history includes portions of Rev. Ord. 1964, 2:8 §§ 1, 2; Ordinances 5/21/73, 5/20/74, 53-75, 157-80, 180-81, 213-83, 226-84, 337-91, 343-91, 586-04, 595-05.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
This chapter is enacted to regulate the sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the Borough of Little Silver in accordance with the provisions of an act of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey entitled "An Act Concerning Alcoholic Beverages" comprising Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1933, its supplements and amendments, and also comprising N.J.S.A. 33:1-1, et seq., and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
For the purpose of this chapter, all words and phrases herein shall have the same meanings as in N.J.S.A. 33:1-1, et seq., and the rules and regulations of the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, except for the definition of Restaurant Conditional License, which is set forth in subsection 7-3.8 of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
All applications for licenses, all licenses issued and all proceedings under this chapter shall be in accordance with the act, rules and regulations referred to in section 7-1, and all other applicable laws of the State of New Jersey or the United States.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
All licenses required by this chapter shall be issued by the Borough Council, which shall also administer the provisions of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person shall sell or distribute alcoholic beverages within the Borough of Little Silver without having obtained a license in accordance with the act referred to in section 7-1 and the provisions of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
All applications for licenses shall be made on forms prescribed by the State Commissioner of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
All licenses issued by the Borough Council under this chapter shall be subject to the terms thereof including inspection by the code enforcement agencies and background investigations by the Police Department and to the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Commissioner of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
The licenses shall be issued for a period from July 1 of each year to June 30, the following year, both inclusive.
If, for any reason the local renewal process is delayed so that a license renewal is not approved by municipal resolution by July 1, all alcoholic beverage activity on the licensed premises must cease unless the licensee has filed the renewal application, paid the applicable fees and applies to and has issued by the Division of ABC an "Ad Interim" Permit.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
The annual license fees and maximum number of licenses for the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages in the Borough of Little Silver shall be as follows:
Class of License
Annual License Fee
Number of Licenses
Plenary Retail Distribution License
$2,500.00
1
Limited Retail Distribution License
$63.00
1
Plenary Retail Consumption License
$2,500.00
1 - The Plenary Retail Consumption License shall be a restaurant conditional license, as defined herein.
[Ord. No. 783-2016; amended 12-4-2023 by Ord. No. 875-23]
Restaurant conditional licenses may be issued to operators of bona fide restaurants, as defined in N.J.S.A. 33:1-1(t) of the Revised Statutes; subject however, to the following additional conditions:
a. 
No such license may be transferred by the licensee to any other person or to any other locality, except to a person operating such a bona fide restaurant as hereinafter more particularly defined and restricted at the same or such other approved locality, at the discretion and approval of Borough Council.
b. 
To qualify as a bona fide restaurant under this section, the premises must comply with the following requirements:
1. 
The licensee shall not sell any alcoholic beverages for consumption off the licensed premises.
2. 
The licensee shall, at all times, continue to operate the licensed premises as a restaurant as defined herein and as defined in N.J.S.A. 33:1-1.
3. 
Live musical performances on the licensed premises shall be confined to the interior of the licensed premises.
4. 
The dining area of the licensed premises may close no sooner than one hour prior to the closing of the bar/lounge area.
c. 
Daily food and drink specials shall be permitted. The gift or sale of food or any alcoholic beverages below cost is hereby prohibited. The offering in any manner whatsoever of any other inducement by the licensee, his servants, agents or employees to encourage the consumption of distilled liquors, blended distilled liquors and any brewed, fermented or distilled liquors is hereby prohibited.
d. 
No alcoholic beverage shall be sold, served to or consumed by guests in any part of the licensed premises except the rooms/space furnished and used as dining room space and the bar/lounge area.
e. 
The licensee shall keep and maintain an accurate record of all sales, sufficient to disclose what receipts were derived from the sale of alcoholic beverages and what receipts from foodstuffs, which record shall be open to inspection at any time by the licensing body or its representative, and may be kept under its supervision as directed, if desired. In the event that inspection of the records of any licensee discloses that over 50 percent of the gross receipts is derived from the sale of alcoholic beverages, the licensing body may, in its discretion, after notice and proper hearing, revoke the license.
f. 
Any such license issued under this section for, or transferred to, a restaurant shall only remain in force so long as the premises licensed are being actually operated as such a bona fide restaurant, and so long as such premises are not altered or rearranged without first obtaining approval of the Borough Council, and such license shall be revocable should the owner thereof cease from operating such restaurant, or alter or rearrange the licensed premises without obtaining the necessary approval. The requirements of this provision may be relaxed by the Borough Council in the event a licensee proposes to construct, or is constructing a building that will, upon completion, be in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. A licensee shall have one year from the date of the issuance of the license, or such shorter time as may be set forth in N.J.S.A. 33:1-1, et seq., whichever is shorter to complete construction and utilize the license so issued.
g. 
Any license issued under this section shall be subject to all the conditions of this section. The Borough Council shall have the sole right to determine what is a bona fide restaurant as referred to in this section, and the decision of the Borough Council shall be final. The Borough Council shall further have the right to limit the number of licenses granted under this chapter, whether or not applications may be received conforming to the above regulations and conditions, where they shall deem any application by reason of location, increased traffic congestion, structural inadequacies of the licensed premises, fire or health hazard, or proximity to churches or schools to be detrimental to the health, morals, safety or welfare of this Borough.
h. 
Anything to the contrary hereinbefore notwithstanding, and for the benefit not of property but of persons attendant therein, no restaurant conditional license shall be issued for the sale of alcoholic beverages within 500 feet of any church or public schoolhouse or private schoolhouse not conducted for pecuniary profit, except to manufacturers, wholesalers, hotels, clubs and fraternal organizations which owned or were actually in possession of the licensed premises on December 6, 1933. The protection of this section may be waived at the issuance of the license and at each renewal thereafter, by the duly authorized governing body on authority of such church or school, such waiver to be effective until the date of the next renewal of the license. Said 500 feet shall be measured in the normal way that a pedestrian would properly walk from the nearest entrance of said church or school to the nearest entrance of the premises sought to be licensed.
1. 
The prohibition contained in this section shall not apply to the renewal of any license where no such church or schoolhouse was located within 500 feet of the licensed premises at the time of the issuance of the license.
2. 
The prohibition contained in this section shall not apply to any license issued prior to the date of this section.
i. 
Pursuant to subsection 7-9.2f of this chapter, all persons working at an establishment with a plenary retail consumption license shall, prior to serving alcoholic beverages at such establishment, must receive TIPS® (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) training or a similarly recognized training regimen relating to the service of alcoholic beverages. During all hours of operation during which alcoholic beverages are served, in addition to persons serving alcoholic beverages, there shall be a minimum of one additional person on the premises who has TIPS® (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) training or a similarly recognized training regimen relating to the service of alcoholic beverages.
j. 
Any license issued under this section shall bear the notation "Restaurant Conditional License."
k. 
Bar/Lounge Area of Bona Fide Restaurant.
1. 
A premises licensed under this section may provide tables and a bar/lounge area at which alcoholic beverages may be served without meals for the use or patrons.
2. 
The number of bar stools shall be calculated as no more than one bar stool per four seats of dining, but in any event no more than one bar stool for every two feet of bar counter. For purposes of calculating the number of permitted bar stools, "dining seats" shall include the actual number of seats used at tables in the bar/lounge area, out of the 50 seats permitted.
3. 
The maximum capacity of the bar/lounge area shall not exceed 100 people having a maximum capacity of not more than 50 seats, not more than 25 bar stools and a standing capacity of not more than 25.
4. 
Such bar/lounge area shall offer a dining menu during all hours of operation.
5. 
The bar/lounge area should be delineated by a knee wall, railing or architectural feature to designate the limits of the bar/lounge area.
6. 
The tables in the bar/lounge area shall be at least 42 inches high. Each seat at such tables in the bar/lounge area shall be included in computing the floor space required by this section and shall also be included in the total seating capacity required by any provision in this section to meet the requirement for obtaining such license.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No licensee or employee of a licensee shall sell, deliver, directly or indirectly, any alcoholic beverages to any habitual drunkard, intoxicated person or person under the age of 21 years, nor permit any such persons to congregate in or about the licensed premises.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No retail plenary consumption licensee under this chapter shall allow, suffer or permit any lottery to be conducted, or any ticket or participation right in any lottery to be sold or offered for sale on or about the licensed premises, except as may be permitted under applicable New Jersey law.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person under the age of 21 years shall be allowed in the bar/lounge area of any premises where alcoholic beverages are sold or served for consumption on the premises unless accompanied by his parent or guardian, and under no circumstances may a person under the age of 21 sit, stand or otherwise occupy space at the bar in the bar/lounge area of a licensed establishment.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person under the age of 21 years shall purchase or attempt to purchase, or have another purchase for him any alcoholic beverages on any premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person shall purchase or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages for a person under the age of 21 years. It shall be unlawful for any person to induce or attempt to induce any licensee or any employee of a licensee to sell, serve or deliver alcoholic beverages to a person under the age of 21 years.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person shall misrepresent his age or the age or another person for the purpose of inducing any licensee or his employee to sell, serve or deliver any alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years or to permit a person under 21 years to remain on any premises in violation of subsection 7-5.1.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
Any person 21 years of age or older who accompanies such a person under the age of 21 years into a premises in which alcoholic beverages are sold and who permits the person under the age of 21 years to possess alcoholic beverages shall be presumed to have misrepresented the age of the person under the age of 21 years.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
All persons under the legal age for the consumption of alcoholic beverages found to unlawfully be in possession of an alcoholic beverage in the Borough of Little Silver shall be detained by the Little Silver Police Department, their name and address recorded, their parents notified and shall be released only to a parent or responsible adult over the age of 21. The parent or guardian of a minor charged with a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be required to attend the hearing of the complaint. For the purpose of compelling such attendance, the Judge of the Municipal Court of the Borough of Little Silver is hereby authorized and directed to cause the parent or guardian of the minor to attend the hearing by issuing appropriate subpoenas to compel such attendance. It shall be sufficient compliance with the provisions hereof, if one of the parents or one of the guardians attend the hearing pursuant hereto.
No person under the age of 21 years shall purchase, sell, consume or possess any alcoholic beverage on any public or private street, highway, park, footway or other public or quasi-public place or in a private residence in the Borough of Little Silver, unless such consumption or possession is in connection with a religious observance, ceremony or rite or in the presence of and with the permission of a parent or guardian who has attained the legal age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. No person under the age of 21 years shall consume or have in his or her possession any alcoholic beverages while in a motor vehicle in any public place or quasi-public place in the Borough of Little Silver.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No person shall own, leave or manage real property or leave that real property in the care of another person, with the knowledge that an alcoholic beverage is purposely or knowingly offered, served or made available to a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages, or entice, encourage or permit that person to drink an alcoholic beverage unless:
a. 
The real property is licensed or required to be licensed by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 33:1-1 et seq.;
b. 
The person making the property available, or leaving it in the care of another person, is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages and is the parent or guardian (or a first cousin or closer relative by blood, marriage or adoption) of the person who consumes alcoholic beverages; or
c. 
The alcoholic beverages are consumed by a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages during a religious observance, ceremony or rite.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
Any person who has attained the legal age for the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages who is found to be in violation of this section shall be subject to the minimum penalty as follows:
Disclosure of their name, address and violation to the media for publication, and a fine of one hundred ($100.00) to one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars. The second offense shall be disclosure, a fine of one hundred ($100.00) to one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars and a minimum of ten hours of community service to be done in Little Silver. The third or subsequent offense shall be disclosure, a fine of one hundred ($100.00) to one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars, a minimum of ten hours of community service to be done in Little Silver and imprisonment of not less than one day in the Little Silver Jail.
Any person found to be in violation of this section who has not attained the legal age for the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be subject to the penalty as stated in subsection 5-13.1 of the Borough of Little Silver Ordinances.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
Any license issued under this chapter may be suspended or revoked for violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or any provisions of any applicable statute or any of the rules or regulations of the State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Proceedings for suspension or revocation shall be in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 33:1-31 by service of a five day notice of charges preferred against the licensee and affording a reasonable opportunity for hearing.
All licensed establishments closed for more than a thirty-day period are mandated to have an alcoholic beverage control inspection prior to reopening.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No plenary retail distribution licensee or limited retail distribution licensee, his employee or agent shall sell, service, deliver or allow, permit or suffer the sale, service or delivery of any alcoholic beverage on the licensed premises except on week days including Saturdays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and on Sundays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
No plenary retail consumption licensee shall sell, serve, deliver or allow, permit or suffer the sale, service or delivery of any alcoholic beverage or permit the consumption of any alcoholic beverage any day of the week between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., provided that on the first day of January such sales may be made up to 2:00 a.m., and further provided that an establishment possessing a restaurant conditional license may begin serving alcoholic beverages at 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays and shall also provide food service.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
There shall be no open consumption of any alcoholic beverages on public or private property within 200 feet of any restaurant or eating establishment; provided, however, that this section shall not be applicable to private property within 200 feet of said restaurant or eating establishment which is not owned or associated with said restaurant or eating establishment.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
Violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor as provided by subsection 5-13.1 of the Borough of Little Silver Ordinances.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No holder of a plenary retail consumption license under this chapter shall employ in the conduct of his licensed business any person who shall not have first obtained a Borough alcoholic beverage service permit from the Borough Chief of Police as detailed herein. No person shall permit or suffer himself to be so employed without having first obtained such a permit from the Chief of Police.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
No borough alcoholic beverage service permit shall be issued to any person who:
a. 
Is under the age of 18 unless said person shall first have obtained a permit from the Director of the State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control;
b. 
Has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude unless the disqualification has been removed or a rehabilitation employment permit (or temporary work letter) has been issued by the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Director. Employees convicted of a crime must indicate same on the E-141-A form and are presumptively prohibited from working until written authorization is received by the local issuing authority from the Division. If issued, the employee's "Rehabilitation Employment Permit Number" or "Eligibility Determination Number" must be listed on the E-141-A form. In addition, no persons convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude are permitted to have any interest in a licensed establishment;
c. 
Is a full-time law enforcement officer in the community in which the license is located;
d. 
Has had an interest in any manufacturer or wholesaler of alcoholic beverages (N.J.S.A. 33:1-43) or is employed as a solicitor (N.J.A.C. 13:2-16.7; see "Tied-House Statute");
e. 
Has a disqualification resulting from having had an interest in a revoked license (N.J.S.A. 33:1-31).
f. 
Has not completed TIPS® (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) training or a similarly recognized training regimen relating to the service of alcoholic beverages.
g. 
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Law requires the local issuing authority to investigate applicants and premises for licensure and to review licenses and premises at the time of issuance and renewal. This shall be conducted by the Police Department at the direction of the governing body. Regulations of the Division of ABC require that at the time of issuance, transfer or renewal of a retail license, the municipal issuing authority affirmatively find and state in a resolution the following:
1. 
That the application is fully completed.
2. 
That the applicant is qualified to be licensed according to all standards established under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, ABC regulations, local ordinances and conditions established for the license, provided those conditions are consistent with State law.
3. 
That the applicant had disclosed and that the local issuing authority had reviewed the source of all funds used to purchase the license and the licensed business and any additional financing obtained in connection with the licensed business. (N.J.S.A. 33:1-24; N.J.A.C. 13:2-2.9 and 13:2-7.10.)
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
a. 
All employees who sell, mix, process, prepare or serve alcoholic beverages, working on licensed premises, other than bar backs, bus persons, cooks, kitchen help and other persons performing strictly restaurant-related functions are required to obtain an alcoholic beverage service permit within 30 days that their employment at the licensed establishment commences. Every employee applicant must meet all requirements as outlined in the State of New Jersey Alcoholic Beverage Control Handbook and the Code of the Borough of Little Silver.
b. 
Each applicant for a Borough alcoholic beverage service permit shall be photographed and fingerprinted, under the supervision of the Chief of Police, such time and place shall be designated by the Chief of Police. The fingerprints shall be marked "Applicant" checked by the State and Federal authorities. A Criminal History Check will also be completed by the Police Department under the supervision of the Chief of Police. The fingerprints shall also be kept on file in the Police Department. The applicant will be required to pay the appropriate State and municipal fingerprinting charge.
c. 
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to issue a Borough alcoholic beverage service permit to any person making such application therefor who is not disqualified under subsection 7-9.2, or is not otherwise disqualified from such employment. The Borough alcoholic beverage service permit shall state: the name of the applicant, address, date of birth, Social Security number, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and any distinguishing marks or physical characteristics. Upon approval of the application, the applicant shall be issued an ID card. The ID card shall have an expiration date, a front facing photograph and right thumb print. He or she will be required to pay the Borough of Little Silver a fee of twenty-five ($25.00) dollars for the initial ID card and any renewal cards.
d. 
The applicant shall be required to have the Borough alcoholic beverage service ID card on their person at all times while working.
e. 
The requirement for the Borough alcoholic beverage service permit for all servers shall be put in place immediately. All servers must complete the process and have their ID cards prior to serving alcoholic beverages at any establishment in the Borough holding plenary retail consumption license. Permits issued under this section must be renewed yearly by filing an application hereunder and receiving approval prior to the expiration date of the expiring permit.
f. 
The licensed establishment shall maintain all of their licensing records and employee records on site and must be available immediately to law enforcement or ABC investigators. Off-site storage of records is permitted by permit only after the licensee makes application to the Director of the ABC. At least one employee must have access to the on-site records at all times. The E-141-A form is required to be maintained and kept on premises unless specific written permission to utilize an alternative format or place is granted by the Director of the ABC. The form must be maintained in an up-to-date manner at all times.
[Ord. No. 783-2016]
a. 
The Chief of Police and members of the Police Department of the Borough shall enforce the provisions of this chapter. All police incidents involving licensed premises, or acts occurring on or in the immediate vicinity of licensed premises, shall be reported to the governing body within two weeks after the police incident report is filed, whereupon the governing body shall determine whether further investigation is warranted and whether probable cause exists for prosecution for violations of this chapter or for instituting revocation or suspension proceedings pursuant to this chapter.
b. 
Nothing herein is intended to preempt or otherwise interfere with the authority of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to regulate persons or entities possessing a license under N.J.S.A. 33:1-1, et seq, or enforce the Alcoholic Beverage laws and regulations of the State of New Jersey.
c. 
Every licensee shall be responsible for conducting, operating and using the licensed premises in compliance with all applicable statutes, laws, ordinances and regulations. Every licensee shall immediately report to the police any act occurring on or about the licensed premises which constitutes a violation of any applicable statute, law, ordinance or regulation.