Booze on the Promenade

Dear Council,

Lots has been written about the plans to open the promenade to become an "entertainment zone," referencing Beale Street in Memphis, and 6th Street in Austin. While I was initially for this, a couple of recent encounters have given me pause. In the endless (and sometimes literal) shit show that is our current downtown, last week I saw a man peeing on the window of Victoria's Secret at 5pm. You read that right-broad daylight, people turning the corner and stepping in it.

The following day another man fell down, too drunk to walk, at 7th and Arizona. In both cases, DTSM security were attempting to move them along out of downtown (which means into my neighborhood). You may wonder why I keep seeing this disorder all the time. Well, because it's there all the time (and I only walk to Burn Fitness 3 times a week). But it's that ubiquitous now. So, the idea of thousands of drinkers flooding the promenade is not appealing-and a nightmare for enforcement, the fire department, and the cleanup crews, which will have to pressure wash the sidewalks and alleys every night. I know the signature fragrance of Santa Monica is already eau de toilette, but this will not help, trust me. For an idea of what it takes to maintain 6th street, read: "Austin's Dirtiest Job."

The council also proposes open booze from 8am-2am! Just when I thought this was a good common sense solution, the council pushes it beyond any common sense. Who, besides alcoholics, drinks at 8am? Please consider testing a 3pm-12pm open alcohol window, which seems like a much more reasonable approach. Trust me, nothing good happens after midnight in a bar zone with places like the "Chuggin' Monkey" in Austin!

Bottom line, I don't want to live with Mardi Gras happening every night blocks from my house. We're already living with the results of a Fentanyl crisis, we don't need more disorder, defecation, and violence. And for a council that regularly squeaks on about Vision Zero and street safety (except, of course, being safe from half-naked maniacs wielding skateboards like an axe), just think about the demolition derby that will result from bars emptying out at 2am. An no, none of them will be getting on that train, that's a vision 20 years in the future. Try to stay in the present and address the reality as it is, rather than what you think it should be.

Let's all get a grip. Don't try to copy downmarket booze zones from other cities. Envision what an arts and entertainment zone could actually become in a unique and sophisticated city like Santa Monica before you embed an ongoing party with 18 hours a day of endless alcohol.