San Fernando Municipal Code Div. 8 Establishments Selling Alcohol

The language of this division shall apply to all establishments selling alcohol, including bars, breweries, distilleries, tap rooms, tasting rooms, clubs, restaurants, and wine bars. The purpose of the language codified within this article is to set forth regulations and enforcement procedures that:

(1) Address community problems associated with the on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as litter, loitering, graffiti, misconduct, and escalated noise levels;

(2) Ensure that there is no degradation of the deemed approved activities;

(3) Prevent such prohibited activities and activities contrary to deemed approved activities from becoming public nuisances; and

(4) Ensure such adverse impacts are monitored, mitigated and/or controlled such that they do not negatively contribute to the change in character of the areas in which they are located.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)

The applicant shall be required to submit to the planning division the following:

(1) A floor plan shall be reviewed and approved to identify the areas in which all on-site sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall occur. This shall be limited to the confines of the building and approved outdoor patio or dining area.

(2) A plan to encourage use of ride share programs, designated drivers, and other methods to discourage intoxicated driving shall be established, and documentation of such a program shall be provided.

(3) A security plan shall be submitted for review and approval prior to the opening of the business.

a. Security personnel shall be required by the city for establishments with occupancy load of over 100 people.

b. The doors to the establishment shall remain closed except upon entering and exiting the business.

c. The security plan shall include a video surveillance system and exterior lighting plan, satisfactory to the community development director or designee, shall be submitted and approved prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy. The video surveillance system shall be installed to assist with monitoring of both the interior and exterior the property. A digital video recorder (DVR) or similar video recording device, capable of exporting images in TIFF, BMP, or JPG format shall be used. Recording shall be retained for no less than 30 days. Exterior lighting shall clearly illuminate the common areas surrounding the building including, but not limited to, the entrance and exit doors and the business address.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)

(a) Prior to the service of alcohol within the establishment, the operator shall obtain a valid license from the ABC and provide a copy of the license to the planning division.

(b) The city reserves the right to request of the ABC additional conditions, such as hours of operation restrictions, restriction of the type of alcohol sold, or other conditions that the city may deem necessary in order to reduce potential impacts.

(c) Should the ABC issue a license suspension or citation, the operator shall provide a copy of said suspension or citation to the planning division.

(d) The operating business shall comply with all applicable noise regulations.

(e) The operator shall be responsible for requiring that there be no loitering on the site, on the public right-of-way and or/ in front of adjacent properties at any time and that all customers shall leave the site no later than 30 minutes after closing, after which, only employees shall be allowed on the premises.

(f) Litter and trash receptacles shall be located at convenient locations, both inside and outside establishment, and trash and debris shall be removed on a daily basis.

(g) The property shall be maintained in a clean and neat manner at all times and shall comply with property maintenance standards as set forth in the San Fernando Municipal Code.

(h) Exterior public telephones shall not be located on the premises.

(i) Graffiti shall be removed within 48 hours of its application.

(j) No person shall appear in a state of nudity in any bar, club, or similar business establishment.

(1) For the purposes of this section, "nudity" means the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks with less than a fully opaque covering, or the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple or below the nipple.

(k) Bona fide eating establishments (restaurants) shall only sell alcoholic beverages during hours that meals are being served and gross receipts from alcohol sales shall not exceed 50 percent of the total revenue of the business.

(l) Special events are permitted with the approval of a special event permit in compliance with San Fernando Municipal Code section 106-1112 (Temporary Uses and Structures: Religious and entertainment assembly).

(m) No establishment may sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises or off-premises consumption unless a conditional use permit for alcoholic beverages has been approved for such establishment or unless exempted by this Code section or another operative plan.

(n) No new establishment selling alcohol shall be permitted within 200 feet of either a residence, family day care home, schools for minors, child day care facility, convalescent home, a residential care home-retirement home, or any residentially zoned lot or parcel.

(o) Tasting rooms for breweries, wine blending facilities, wineries, or distilleries shall be allowed to be open to the public during from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. daily.

(p) Bars and bona fide eating establishments (restaurants) are prohibited from selling any spirits for consumption off of the premises. The consumption of spirits shall be limited to the restaurant or drinking area as defined per applicable licenses from the ABC. However, beer and wine may be purchased for off-site consumption, provided that the beer and wine may not be consumed within any public common area near the establishment, within any public right-of-way, or outside of any nearby property.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)