Village Council in favor of 5 am bar closing time
Last night the Cocoanut Grove Village Council voted 5 to 2 in favor of drafting a resolution to return the bar closing times to what they were before the 2008 change, which is back to 5 am for bars and restaurants in the Grove. The only business that will benefit from this at the moment is Mr. Moe's on Commodore Plaza. All the other businesses that were affected are now out of business.
The resolution will ask for the "special language" be removed that makes the Grove different from the rest of the City of Miami.
The five yes votes for 5 am were: Heather Bettner, Kate Callahan, Stephen Murray, Michelle Niemeyer and Renita Ross Samuels-Dixon. Against 5 am was David Collins and David Wells.
Felice Dubin left the meeting early and was not present to vote and Village Council chair, Patrick Sessions, abstained so that when he stands before the City Commission with the resolution, it will be the will of the Village Council and not his own vote being pushed, something to do with Roberts Rules of Order.
David Wells (above right) said that the Village Council needs to pick its battles with the City and this is a losing proposition, so why fight it? David needs to read The Secret and not give up so easily. Especially when it is an important resolution that has been long overdue and many believe the right thing to do.
David Collins (above left) felt that the Grove's lack of business has more to do with the fact that the Grove is not pleasing to the eye and people are just over it. Basically that it's aesthetically unpleasing. Isn't that the job of the BID (Business Improvement District, of which David is the Executive Director)? Like where are the long promised flower pots and baskets? And if the Grove is such a mess, how about hiring paint crews and graffiti removers and brick fixers since people trip every day over the shoddy sidewalks, including David, who had one nasty shiner for awhile due to falling flat on his face on Commodore Plaza.
Although I find it hard to believe that people are not coming here because the place is blah. But I respect David's opinion.
Tony Noboa, president of the Chamber of Commerce, stood before the Village Council and read the results of their vote, which was in favor of going back to 5 am, too.
posted by Tom Falco at 9:00 AM
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37 Comments:
Grape,
What does the vote mean.
does it have any teeth?
what bars and restaurants will be able to sell drinks to 5Am?
The grove is very beautiful despite the comments.
and I am NOT over it!
This was a no-brainer. Why would the government decide when to send us to sleep or shut down Businesses in certain areas only? What I still don't understand is there should be no mandatory closing times at ALL, 1, 3 5 or 7am. It should be up to the businesses to open and close doors whey they see fit. And it's up to Law Enforcement to enforce the Laws, at any time, day or night. Excessive noise, pollution, unruly drunk behavior, and crime are just as illegal at 3pm, 11pm, 3am, 5am or at 8am. This is not North Korea or Cuba, last I checked. CI
At least Collins stood up for what he thought. Felice's running out befor the vote is unacceptable and cowardly.
CL
this is not the wild west either
Ans very business should have an equal right to serve drinks or food all night long. Mr. Moe's should not be the only one. People won't come back to the Grove just for Mr. Moe's or Flanigans. They have DOZENS of open places all night in Miami Beach or Brickel. Not just 2. Why come here. If you drive, you go where there are more places open until late, more choices, more life in the Streets. Only One place open after 3am in Central Grove remains a bad JOKE to me. As long as businesses apply for licences, keep quiet, maintain public order, there should be DOZENS of places opened up well into Daylight every day. CI
So afraid of the boss-man is Mr. Collins that he is willing to absorb the blame, as director of the Business Improvement District for the Grove's lack of Business? AMAZING.
He would have done better to abstain from voting.
And Felice Dubin who was all in favor for 5 am back at the Merchant meeting in which Regalado and Sanchez were invited, only to back pedal a week later, had to leave the meeting early, avoiding the vote. YEA, RIGHT.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED. Their livelyhoods have been threatened. These are fellow neighbors and business people who love the grove, have brought their business here and have worked hard, and now they are being held in a choke hold.
We cannot allow this to continue. All of you wake up. This goes beyond this 3 am 5 am thing. This is strong arm-tactics of an "activist" turned bully, and his staff, which also on the threat of job loss has to go around town and harrass people into removing signage from their windows.
It is a dirty shame.
Next time it will be something else, any other issue. But the bully tactic will remain the same, just watch. You have two more years to stand by and do nothing. Or Act now.
Hey quit your yapping. David stood up for what he believed in. I have seen many more Commissioners cower in fear of the boss man upstairs over the past few years.
Just as I have seen many "decisions" in the Village Council get laughed at in City Hall.
I think it is safe to assume that IF this makes it to City Hall. The people against the 5 am will bring the big guns.
It's true the Same Am posters were removed by many business owners out of fear and visits from the commissioners office staff and the brain washed friends of his. Free speech is dead in Coconut Grove.
SARNOFF NEEDS TO GO. REGALADO NEEDS TO GROW A PAIR OF BALLS.
Even if Papa Sarnoff is forced to change the recent, stupid 3am rule back to 5am, ---from the sheer pressure of public opinion here in the Grove---, he will find ways to shut the entire place down. Issuing a business licence to remain open after 3am only to ONE place, and making it impossible for other places to open up late.
This should be the focus now, after the 5am closings are restored:
1/ More businesses with a license to open up late, as long as they behave and operate properly.
2/ Let'em stay open ALL night, not just until 5am.
3/ Better Law Enforcement, police officers on foot all night. Like they have in many Cities worldwide. Just to enforce the Laws and keep our Village Clean.
Only Mr Moe's open won't make any difference. CI
Honestly...I would have used all of this political pressure on something else. I would have maybe pressured MPA to offer free parking or brought more cops to the Grove. I guess Regalado handled part of the MPA. I heard they are also putting more cops in downtown and the Grove also (I certainly see more cops in the Grove) Whether that is only the BID or a mixture of the City and the BID things are starting to change.
well, if the head of the BID thinks that that the Grove is not pleasing to the eye and people are just over it, then he hasn't done his job has he?
Anon 9:41 am is completely correct. This isn't just about 5am, it's about checking the power of a commissioner running wild. Sarnoff's tactics of strongarming business owners and threatening to have licenses revoked is in my opinion criminal. It is misues of a public office, and a severe over-stepping of his power.
I will be writing letters to Governer Crist, who seems to love getting involved in local politics as well as our county commissioners. They see and know what is going on here, and they realize that Sarnoff is a power hungry manipulator. They just need us to bring this to a level where they can act.
Does the head of the BID live in the Grove or in South Miami?
What now Mr. Collins?
The Chamber of Commerce, the merchants group and your very own Village council has spoken loud and clear, bring back the fun!
You and your master Marc Sarnoff will have to decide if you're going to listen to the people that voted you in office or ignore the "will of the people" and continue down the path of trying to turn the Grove into Naples, Fl.
I will tell you that if you chose that latter, the BID will crumble on your thick skulls.
Felice had to leave and did not vote? OK????
-Louis
We've only owned in the Grove for 6 years, but are definitely NOT over it... We patronize the shops and restaurants as much as possible... The Grove has an inordinate number of small ma-and-pa businesses, and they are the hardest hit by the lack of operating credit, no funds to do marketing, and downturn in demand... But there are multiple other, niches that need business solutions. One is the 5AM, but it is definitely NOT, the only issue... We need the UM Students just as much as the Ritz-Carlton Renters... They march to a different tune.
With 5am and the new cinema, things will start moving again... this is all in the right direction... its not about picking the right battles, its about making progress and taking steps forward. This is a step that along with others will benefit the Grove.
That guy that heads the BID sure has a crap-ass attitude for someone in that job position. Why is he accepting and perpetuating the opinion that things look shoddy around here?? That's basically stating that he sucks at his job.
David Collins and the rest of the BID are a joke. It certainly doesn't represent the wishes of the business coomunity here in the Grove. Why should property and business owners pay another dime into this organization, let it dry up and die. They're not doing anything but trying to morph our wonderful village into Mark's "vision".
I say no thank you.
Let Mr. Collins go back to his small business at the Mayfair and slug it out like the rest of us and you'll see him change his tune real fast.
It's all clear now. What the Grove needs is DIVERSITY. It looks like EVERYONE is named DAVID!
:) Have a good weekend, everyone
shame on dave, did he think voting in favor of the 5 am closing would make the grove worse? at this point what does he have to lose? get behind something and see it through dave! not to get political, but what's dave's signature acheivement since being at his post?
silk
I know where David Collins can put that Pepsi bottle...
I agree with David, tons of stores are abandon, clubs are closed and there is a lack of activities to do until 5 a.m, so that really needs to be MAJOR improvement. Landlords need to lower the rent!!
The village council is a joke... they have no power and get laughed at when they go to city hall. They got bullied into making the 5am closing time a huge issue just because one business owned and the grapevine said so. Reality check...there are bigger issues in the Grove and since they can't even get 400 people to sign the 5am petition, i’m thinking nobody cares (i know it say 415 signed, but i'm not counting Boy lover, SweeetDickWilly, FatSlut, etc).
If you can prove Sarnoff is coercing, threatening or illegally influencing someone, just go to the cops, otherwise shut up because you just look petty and childish.
ANON January 22, 2010 9:41 AM is absolutely correct. I know for a fact that Sarnoff bullies local businesses who he does not feel fit his "vision" for the grove. It is disgusting small time politics at its worst. "ABS" - anyone but Sarnoff- come election time.
Felice Dubin should be ashamed! I am surprised by her actions! She either wimped out and ran for the hills or has her priorities way out of whack. Either way she should no longer represent us on the council.
It is ironic that Collins and the rest of the Center Grove group that were so up in arms against the Home Depot a few years ago claimed that if the Home Depot was allowed in Coconut Grove it would be the end of the business community in the Grove. Collins actually made several passionate speeches with that message. And now here he sits and says business sucks because the Grove is not aesthetically pleasing-- talk about paving the way for further bulldozing by his boss into making the Grove into his apple pie "vision"
Those who continue to pay into the BID are either fools or they have their hand in the pie the chair is cooking.
To Anonymous 2:38, check with John at Mr. Moe's you'll find thousands of signatures on paper.
Anon 2:38 - there are paper petitions as well as the online petition and I've seen more than a thousand valid signatures myself.
anon 2:38...
There are approx. 6,ooo valid signatures thus far.
More people signed the petition than voted for your messiah Marc..
Is that petty or childish you douche bag?
The reason David Collins is starting to pontificate on how the Grove is not pleasing to the eye and has shoddy sidewalks is because he is laying the groundwork for Papa Sarnoff's new Kingdom - The newly revised Coconut Grove. Sarnoffville!
Plans are a being made to get rid of the brick sidewalks and use homogenized imprinted sidewalks. (Yes, the roots do push the bricks up but why not fix them and add some much needed mulch.) As well as the cutting down of mature trees that have been here for years to be replaced by smaller native trees.(After all these years we suddenly discover they are an invasive species and not native to the Florida)bring in the lumberjacks!
In addition Papa Sarnoff wants to change the facades of the buildings so the look flows - it will become Sarnoffville forget Coconut Grove.
Ask the BID for their plan - it is all there!
Wake Up Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!
How long would this plan shut down business in the Grove, if you can still call it the Grove.
Does David have any pride left? Does he roll over and play dead too? I bet he asks how high when Sarnoff tells him to jump.
wake up people. felice and david had to wimp out because they are being threatened. When you pay a subsidized rent on your business and does the bookstore and are told that it can be cut off, what are you gonna do? When you are the ED of an organization and the chair is strong arming you to push this agenda and you never made a paycheck this big in your life, and know there is no other opportunity for one, what are you going to do?
When you have a business you have worked hard for and the staff of the bully comes to your place of business and tells you to take down the sign or they will make life difficult or you, what are you going to do?
it is easy to call these people wimps but you know what, until you can stand side by side with them and defend their right to not be afraid for what they have worked so hard, you are just contributing to the demise of the Grove. Time to take it back!!!
You need to support the Village Council. You need to help their voice grow strong enough to reach beyond that farce at City Hall.
In a democracy a person votes the way that want to not the way the Blog or some of the Village Council wants them to. The VC is full of themselves and think they are so powerful. How many people who signed the petitions actually live in the Grove? They probably go to UM with the young VC guy.
Landlords should lower the rents to attract new and interesting tenants.
David Collins is Executive Director of the BID but he does not own every street and every store. David can make suggestions but business Owners and Property Owners need to show pride in their properties and invest in their surroundings.
The Grove needs more business from 8:00 am until midnight. The 5:00 am crowd are not buying books and clothes and art.
Dave Collins is a baffoon.
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