DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - No changes to Doral’s nightlife are coming anytime soon after council members rejected Mayor Christi Fraga’s proposed new regulations on alcoholic beverages and security measures at Wednesday night’s meeting.
Members shut down Fraga’s proposal to cut bar hours to 2 a.m. with a 1:30 a.m. last call and to implement new security requirements for bars and restaurants.
The failed vote came nearly a month after a tragic shooting at Martini Bar in CityPlace Doral that resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries.
The family of George Castellano, the security guard who lost his life in the incident, was present at the council meeting.
Castellano’s mother, Jeannine, believes there was too much back and forth about the hours of operation.
“They’re just spending so much time, you know, 1 a.m., 2 a.m., it doesn’t really matter like I said,” said Jeanine Castellanos, the mother of the victim.” “Anything could happen at 9 o’clock, 2, 3, I think they should focus more on the security measures.”
Business owners also took turns speaking to the members ahead of the vote. Several of them urged the members to reject the cutting of bar hours.
“Martini Bar is also a resident of this community as well as similarly situated businesses that operate here and rolling back these hours will have a significant negative economic impact on these employees and these businesses,” said Brad Birkman, who represents Martini Bar.
Other residents wanted the mayor’s proposal to pass.
“It’s a balance between maintaining a business or maintaining a life,” said Pierre Christ, a Doral resident.
Following the mayor’s plan being rejected, a similar proposal was introduced by another council member.
This proposal would add security measures, like requiring metal detectors, and would limit business hours in a unique way. It would give certain businesses the ability to apply for an extended-hours permit.
The chance of the proposal passing through the council is still up in the air.
After the meeting, Mayor Fraga said that despite her proposal being rejected, she will continue pushing for changes to this new proposal.
“It’s going to come for another reading, and at that point, we will see. But I’m a firm believer we should be ending this at 2 a.m. We just saw South Beach do this, we’ve seen several communities do it, I think the balance is having limitations,” said Fraga.
The proposal to allow certain businesses to get a permit to serve alcohol until 3:30 a.m. and to extend business hours until 4 a.m. passed in the first reading.
A second reading of the proposal will occur in June.
If approved, the changes will go into effect in October.
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