This chapter is enacted to regulate the sale
and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the City of Long Branch
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.
The hours and times when sale of alcoholic beverages
at retail, and the consumption thereof, may be made are as follows:
A. Weekdays. On weekdays between the hours of 7:00 a.m.
and 2:00 a.m. of the following day; provided, however, that on the
last day of the calendar year the hours shall be between 7:00 a.m.
and 5:00 a.m. of the day following.
B. Sundays. On Sundays between the hours of 9:00 a.m.
and 2:00 a.m. of the day following; provided further that on the last
day of the calendar year, when it shall fall on a Sunday, the hours
shall be between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the day following.
[Amended 5-28-1996 by Ord. No. 18-96]
C. No retail licensee may sell spirituous liquors in
original containers (package goods) before 9:00 a.m. and after 10:00
p.m. on any day of the week.
D. Close of premises requirement. Before the start or
after the close of any period of time during which alcoholic beverages
may legally be sold, the entire licensed premises shall be closed
for business, and all curtains shall be thrown open so that the premises
shall be open to the view of the public. All customers and patrons
shall be off the premises by 2:30 a.m. and may be permitted to consume
alcoholic beverages purchased before 2:00 a.m. No licensees shall
serve or deliver or allow, permit or suffer the service or delivery
of any alcoholic beverage or allow the consumption of any alcoholic
beverage on the premises at the close of legal selling hours. No alcoholic
beverages shall be consumed on the premises by anyone, including the
licensee or his employees, after the close of legal selling hours,
and all alcoholic beverages remaining unconsumed at the close of legal
selling hours shall be immediately removed from the bar and tables
and disposed of by the licensee. All licensed premises shall permit
the entry of a law enforcement officer for the purposes of enforcement
of City ordinances and the laws of the State of New Jersey.
E. Nonapplicability. The close-of-premises requirement contained in Subsection
D shall not apply to motels, hotels and restaurants, as hereinafter defined, and meeting the requirements of Subsection
F, Hotels and restaurants, or to clubs which have a club liquor license and other establishments where the principal business or activity is other than the sale of alcoholic beverages. Such premises may remain open before the start or after the close of legal selling hours, but no licensee shall serve or deliver or allow, permit or suffer the delivery of any alcoholic beverages or allow the consumption of any alcoholic beverages, and no alcoholic beverages shall be consumed by anyone, including customers, the licensee or his employees, on such premises before the start or after the close of legal selling hours; and all alcoholic beverages remaining unconsumed at the close of legal selling hours shall be immediately removed from the bar and the tables and disposed of by the licensee; provided also that in such case before the start and after the close of legal selling hours, the bar and any other place from which alcoholic beverages are usually dispensed shall be closed, and a sign reading "BAR CLOSED" shall be permanently displayed on the bar, and any separate room which is devoted solely to the service and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be closed off.
F. Hotel and restaurants. Any licensed premises or part
of any licensed premises may be designated by the Council as a hotel
or restaurant area. Nightclubs are not restaurants or hotels.
(1) Designated hotel and restaurant areas shall be permitted to remain open to the public beyond closing times, provided that no alcoholic beverages are sold, served or consumed during the hours set forth in Subsections
A and
B.
(2) A part or portion of any licensed premises may be
designated a hotel or restaurant area only if that part or portion
in fact constitutes a hotel or restaurant.
(3) Applications to designate any licensed premises or
part of any licensed premises as hotel or restaurant areas shall be
made in writing by the licensee and may be made simultaneously with
the application for renewal of an annual license. The licensee shall
submit with the applications all documents, sketches and other information
necessary to a determination whether the premises or part of the premises
sought to be designated in fact constitutes a hotel or restaurant.
The licensee shall be given the opportunity to be heard on the application.
G. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the
following definitions shall apply:
HOTEL or MOTEL
A building containing more than five rooms with individual
entrances, used or intended to be used, rented or hired out, to be
occupied for sleeping purposes by guests and which may also contain
only a general kitchen and dining room and/or drinking facilities
and conference or meeting rooms.
NIGHTCLUB
Any licensed premises or part of any licensed premises primarily
engaged in the retail sale of beverages, which provides entertainment
and/or dancing and where the sale or service of food is incidental
to the entertainment. A nightclub shall not be considered a restaurant
or hotel.
RESTAURANT
An establishment regularly and principally used for the purposes
of providing meals to the public, having an adequate kitchen and dining
room or dining area, equipped for the preparing, cooking and serving
of foods for its customers and in which no other business, except
as incidental to such establishments, is conducted.
The municipal issuing authority may refuse to
renew an alcoholic beverage license granted pursuant to this chapter
where the premises so licensed has been destroyed or demolished by
intentional, accidental or natural acts and the licensee has failed
to initiate steps for reconstruction of the premises within one year
of the date of the demolition or destruction.
[Amended 2-27-2019 by Ord. No. 1-19]
Customers of an unlicensed establishment may
be permitted by the ownership of the establishment to bring and consume
only wine and beer. The establishment may advertise the fact that
beer or wine may be permitted. The establishment can supply glasses,
ice, etc., but may not impose a cover, corkage or service charge.
Also, under no circumstances may spirituous liquors be permitted.
Additionally, the owner may not permit wine or beer to be consumed
during hours in which the sale of these products is prohibited by
ordinance nor allow consumption of beer or wine by persons under the
age of 21 years or by persons who are actually or apparently drunk
or intoxicated.