Changes to bottle club, nuisance ordinances aim to prevent gun violence

Press release from City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville City Commission today approved amendments to its municipal ordinances governing public nuisances and bottle club operations. City leaders expect the changes will help reduce the number of late-night disturbances at local businesses and thus curb incidents of gun violence in the community.

Nuisance abatement ordinance

The updates to the municipal nuisance ordinance expand the types of criminal activity declared a public nuisance on business property.

“In addition to gang activity, prostitution, the sale of illegal drugs, and stolen property-related crimes, the amendment includes certain violent crimes – namely murder, aggravated assault, and repeated violations of assault and battery, and of burglary and theft,” said Interim Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya.

The revisions make the ordinance consistent with changes in state law and provide law enforcement greater opportunities to address nuisance properties. Business owners found in violation of the nuisance ordinance may face fines, as well as hearings before a special magistrate, and additional penalties.

“It’s never our first course of action to jump straight into enforcement in these situations because we want to make sure the owners understand what’s happening first,” said Gainesville Police Department Major Jaime Kurnick. “If their business is closed and incidents are occurring in the parking lot, they simply may not know.” 

Bottle club ordinance

While bottle clubs are not licensed to sell alcohol, these establishments do permit customers to bring their own alcohol to drink on their premises. The amendments to the ordinance include:

• raising the age of those allowed in bottle clubs from 19 to 21;
• limiting hours of operation to align with alcohol establishments, closing at 2 a.m.;
• prohibiting possession or consumption of alcohol outside establishments;
• prohibiting operation as dance halls or smoking lounges (cigar or hookah lounges and vapor bars or lounges).

The new measures are designed to provide law enforcement with additional tools to ensure public safety and welfare on business property.

“As commissioners, we must pass policy to empower law enforcement so they can effectively address these issues and prevent them from escalating,” said Commissioner Ed Book, who suggested policy changes during a July 2023 sunshine meeting convened by Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker and focused on reducing violence in the community. “We want to do everything possible to keep all neighbors safe,” he said.

The amendments to the ordinances align with many of the City’s efforts to prevent and reduce gun violence, one of which is the Community Gun Violence Prevention Alliance. The Alliance was formalized this spring following the launch of IMPACT GNV, the framework that guides the City of Gainesville’s gun violence intervention and prevention initiatives and connects neighbors experiencing on-the-ground needs with municipal and community resources.