Alcohol, Noise, Safety In Old Town Temecula: 2nd Workshop Set

TEMECULA, CA — The city of Temecula will hold another public workshop to discuss policies around alcohol service and consumption, loud entertainment and safety in Old Town.

Temecula City Manager Aaron Adams announced the workshop during Tuesday night's City Council meeting. He encouraged interested members of the public to attend the 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 1 event that will take place in the City Hall Conference Center, 41000 Main Street.

The joint workshop hosted by the City Council and the Planning Commission continues a Sept. 28 workshop that addressed the same themes. Is Old Town Temecula safe? Is it a family-friendly destination? Those were key questions posed during the event.

Adams said next month's workshop will focus on policy planning and best practices.

Some are concerned about drinking and partying in Old Town. Critics contend that late-night drunkenness makes Old Town unsafe, while some on the other side of the argument say the area is a bustling cultural hub.

During the Sept. 28 workshop, Planning Commissioner Adam Ruiz said "balance" is key. If Old Town is family-friendly at all hours, it likely won't attract the 20- and 30-somethings who routinely turn out Friday and Saturday nights. But if it becomes too dangerous, patrons will go elsewhere and businesses will shutter.

City Councilmember Zak Schwank argued that while there is a financial cost to Old Town's success — added police, for example — the district is the treasured heart of the city that most locals are proud of.

Working through concerns is not uncommon for cities with entertainment districts. One of the issues confronting Temecula is its inconsistency in conditional use permits for Old Town businesses. Some restaurants/bars can serve alcohol until 2 a.m., others until midnight.

The inconsistency in CUPs is "a source of consternation and confusion for businesses," said Deputy City Manager Luke Watson. Of the 25 Old Town restaurants licensed to serve beer, wine and distilled spirits, 16 can stay open past midnight per their CUPs; the others must close, Watson said during the workshop.

Not all businesses play by the rules, according to city officials. Some owners flout their CUPs by serving alcohol past closing time, and/or exceeding noise levels, among other things.

Overserving drunk patrons is another problem in some establishments, according to city officials, who blame the state's Alcohol Beverage Control for lack of enforcement.

There is a "small group of bad actors ruining it for everyone," Ruiz said.

Read more about the Sept. 28 workshop.