WHEREAS, Some areas in Pennsylvania consist of a disproportionate number of liquor licensees in a concentrated geographical area that often directly border residential neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Residents near and around these "nuisance" areas suffer ongoing acts of violence and crime that result from the negligence of the liquor licensees in the area; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly must empower municipalities to deal with this recurrent epidemic by giving them the authority to declare a problem area of liquor licensees a "nuisance district" and to establish a moratorium on all new liquor licenses in that area; and
WHEREAS, The creation of "nuisance districts" would enable municipalities to direct the Liquor Control Board (LCB) to stop issuing new liquor licenses in a "nuisance district" for an indefinite period of time or until a municipality informs the LCB to end the moratorium; and
WHEREAS, A municipality could exempt certain development projects in a "nuisance district" if the municipality and elected officials deem that project an economic benefit to that area; and
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council calls on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass legislation that grants municipalities the authority to declare an area a nuisance district and to place a moratorium on the issuance of all liquor licenses in that area.
End