Council Renews Park Sports Bar's Liquor License

After nearly three hours of discussion, the Township Council finally agreed Tuesday night to renew the liquor license of the Park Sports Bar & Restaurant at the corner of South Park and Church streets—but with one condition.

The council will require the Park Sports Bar & Restaurant to hire an off-duty police officer or professional security guard each night, starting at 10 p.m.

The renewal came after a hearing that was scheduled as the result of dozens of objections from area residents, who charge that the business promotes drunken, disgusting, and disorderly conduct.

"The problem is that [the owner] is trying to operate a business in a residential area that's full of apartments," said Councilor Nick Lewis. "A lot of the complaints are about boorish clientele and I'm not sure we can do anything about boorish people."

Nancy LeRoy, a resident at 48 South Park Street, said police have responded to complaints at the bar at least 94 times since January 2010—compared with only 13 times for all the other bars in town combined during the same time period.

"I have the support of 48 residents who want something done about these rowdy drunken people," she said.

LeRoy and a bevy of other area residents told about how they are treated each night to the sounds of screaming, loud music, cars screeching, crude language, and windows smashing. 

Tuesday night's meeting—dominated by the issue of whether to renew the liquor license—was the current council's last as a new mayor and council will take over on July 1.

The bar faced a barrage of objections to the license renewal from residents of the area.

"It's difficult to imagine the content of the noise and the persistence of the noise. Without that first-hand experience you might think we're complaining about the regular liveliness of Church Street and that's not the case," said Kaili Baucum, a resident at 45 Church Street. "I am talking about the bass thumping .. the cursing ... the vulgar language that is heard throughout the night every night and not just on weekends.

"I'm being forced to sleep with the TV and music on .. with earplugs on," she said. "I can't work in my [home] office past 9 or 10 at night."

After hearing the long list of complaints Tuesday night, the bar's owner Jeff Melnikoff said he feels sorry for the residents.

"I never knew it was like this. No one came to me. I feel bad for all these people," he said. "I think we could try to work to figure out a resolution for the noise. I should be afforded that opportunity. I don't want to be the source of all this stress and aggravation.

"I want to apolologize to everyone here," he said, turning to the residents seated behind him in council chambers.

Meinikoff said he would be happy to turn down the volume on the music as well as to sweep up outside as soon as the bar closes instead of waiting until the morning after.

LeRoy, who said she began complaining about the bar shortly after moving into the area in August 2010, suggested closing the bar at midnight instead of 2 a.m.

"There's nothing else open at that time of night," she said. "Where is it written that a bar must stay open until 2 a.m.?"

But Melnikoff said he'd be out of business if forced to close at midnight.

"it's been hard enough [to keep the business going] with the street torn up," he said, referring to the ongoing South Park Street redevelopment project.

In the end, and after debating several other suggested conditions, councilors agreed that there was little they could do.

Lewis suggested that music be turned off at midnight during the weekdays and at 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, a suggestion that was shot down by other council members.

Township Attorney Ira Karasick explained that the noise issue already is regulated by other laws.

"If the laws that exist were enforced, then that would address a lot of the concerns here," he said.

What do you think about the noise at South Park and Church streets late at night? Tell us in the comments section below.

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