SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Santa Cruz leaders are considering clamping down on the city's nightclubs, with police complaining that they've created security issues downtown.
The city relaxed its liquor laws after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake to help businesses draw visitors back.
Now, according to city estimates, Santa Cruz has at least twice the number of alcohol retailers as any similar-sized city in California. That includes many restaurants that are morphing into late-night dance clubs to make more money during the recession.
Police say they've seen a spike in calls to incidents around these clubs.
Councilman Mike Rotkin says he wants to revise the liquor laws or reclassify restaurants-turned-nightclubs as high-risk establishments so the city can charge them higher permit fees to help pay for law enforcement.
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Information from: Santa Cruz Sentinel
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