Setting Santa Monica’s Alcohol Policy, Limits

An April 19 article on Santa Monica’s alcohol policy characterized me as an “anti-alcohol activist.” This misstatement needs correction.

I am for a moratorium of alcohol outlets in areas where there is an extreme undue concentration, like in my neighborhood, which has 106 alcohol outlets and a crime rate 50% above the city average.

I am for active enforcement of conditions that have been placed on existing alcohol outlets. Police, zoning inspectors and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Department have all admitted their inability to enforce conditions--and no amount of conditions placed on new alcohol outlets can reduce the undue concentration that exists already.

I am for not serving alcohol to minors. In 1991, half of all visits to alcohol outlets by participants in a Santa Monica Police decoy program resulted in service of alcohol to minors.

I am for crime control. There is a documented, direct correlation between alcohol abuse and drunk driving, rape, child and spousal abuse, and fetal alcohol syndrome.

Finally, I am for a citywide alcohol policy that can identify when enough is enough and that ensures proactive, sensitive land-use decisions that serve the public health, safety and welfare of residents, businesses and visitors to Santa Monica. After all, with 326 alcohol outlets citywide, we cannot be accused of being a “dry” city. We need to live within our limits.

STEPHANIE BARBANELL

Santa Monica