Mayor's Weekly Column
From the Desk of Mayor Hall
Village to Increase Scrutiny of Liquor License Applications
On January 5, I testified before the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA) in Albany regarding an application to open a new bodega at 115 Main Street in Hempstead. The purpose of my testimony was to oppose the issuance of a liquor license for this location, and to once again inform NYSLA of the negative impact bars, liquor stores and bodegas have on the quality of life here in our Village.
The lack of sufficient oversight and monitoring on the part of the state has been an ongoing problem in our community. Hempstead Village is home to 167 establishments that are licensed to sell alcohol. That number includes 60 bars, plus a variety of liquor stores, bodegas and other shops where one can legally purchase alcohol. The total area of our Village is only 3.7 square miles, which means that, on average, there are 45.1 businesses selling alcohol per square mile here in Hempstead.
The large number of these businesses, though disturbing, is not the primary issue here. Many of these establishments are run by responsible business owners who are respectful of their neighbors and community. Unfortunately, there are also many exceptions to this rule. In 2010, the Hempstead Police Department responded to an astounding four hundred-plus complaints from bars and residents in the surrounding areas. Even some bodegas and other small shops become makeshift bars or nightclubs after hours. This puts a tremendous strain on our police department and negatively affects the quality of life of the residents who live near the establishments. Adding to the number of bars, liquor stores and bodegas in our Village brings no value to our residents. In fact, because of the number of complaints, I am actively looking for ways to reduce the number in our area.
Fortunately, NYSLA’s Board of Commissioners heeded my message, and denied the application for 115 Main Street. In addition, it ordered that all applications from the Village of Hempstead now be reviewed by the full commission instead of being sent directly to the licensing bureau. The commissioners assured me that they will issue no new liquor licenses without first notifying my office, allowing the Village to review police records to check for a history of crimes and other disturbances. As in the past, I will personally travel to the Manhattan division of the NYSLA to testify against the issuance of any new liquor licenses to businesses with a history of disturbance on file with the Hempstead Police Department.
This is a victory for all of our residents. We have taken a huge step in curbing the influx of new bars and liquor stores into our Village, and our police officers will continue to monitor the existing locations to ensure that they hold valid liquor licenses and are conforming to all rules and regulations as outlined in our Village Code.
This is not meant to discourage new businesses in our community. Quite the opposite -- it is intended to promote new types of industry and to limit the kinds of establishments that have a negative impact on our quality of life, our productivity, and our ability to attract shoppers to the many wonderful businesses that operate in our Village. To anyone that is interested in starting a business, I say this: If you want to open a business in Hempstead, it should have a positive impact on our community.
To stay on top of what’s happening in the Village, please join our electronic mailing list by sending your name and email address to Mayor@villageofhempsteadny.gov, and listen to the “Hempstead Happening” radio show every Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. on WTHE-AM (1520).
Sincerely,
Wayne
Wayne J. Hall Sr.
Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead
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