Dewey Beach explores tighter business regulations

This past summer, a fight outside a downtown Dewey Beach bar prompted town officials to question whether there was more they could've done to prevent it.

In August, the then-council could only agree that the area by Ivy and Northbeach restaurants should be properly illuminated.

Now, after a two-member turnover on council and a new year, officials are exploring making sweeping changes to town code to address disorderly businesses and properties.

Dewey seeks to talk it out after bar fight

At the top of the list is a town-initiated review process, meant to give officials the ability to revoke business and rental licenses from troubled establishments.

Town council held a very preliminary talk at a March 12 meeting, with no ordinance nor concrete changes up for a vote.

But, with officials wanting more control over how it deals with disorderly businesses and homes, town manager Marc Appelbaum warned they were "getting into some very, very choppy waters here."

"I don't want to take a sledgehammer to a splinter," he added.

In essence, the discussion centered around moving court proceedings over noise complaints to the Alderman Court, which town officials said would come up with faster resolutions to disputes than criminal courts.

Then, with more of the complaints processed, it would give town officials a better understanding as to what property owners, realtors, or business owners were commonly associated with these troubled establishments.

"Basically I’ve been complaining that by going the criminal route, we’re not achieving anything," commissioner Courtney Riordan said.

Under one proposal, the town could initiate a hearing with a habitual offender and determine whether their business or rental license should be either revoked or denied for the following year.

Mayor Diane Hanson said a report from the police department showed there were 142 calls for service over noise relating to rentals and another 42 relating to businesses.

While few resulted in arrests or fines, Hanson brought up the fact that no tickets were issued to any of the businesses which surrounded the fight in July.

It was her belief that the town should discuss how it would want to handle an official review process. She said even in the case where a business or rental gets only a verbal warning, the town still receives a report from the police department, which could be used to establish a pattern if needed.

There was some general unease on council, but a general consensus the town needs to address the topic.

Commissioner Gary Mauler, who regularly spars with Hanson over issues with the town's management and finances, said that not addressing it could lead to higher costs in the future.

"When I started looking into the police and our insurance costs … with what happened at Northbeach (restaurant), that sets up a scenario where it could cost us an extra $100,000 a year (for insurance,)" Mauler said. "I think we’ve got to do it."

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