OUTLET DENSITY ODYSSEY: THE JOURNEY IN OMAHA, NE. Nicole Carritt US Alcohol Policy Alliance

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1 OUTLET DENSITY ODYSSEY: THE JOURNEY IN OMAHA, NE Nicole Carritt US Alcohol Policy Alliance

2 The Overview: Addressing Alcohol Outlet Density in Omaha, NE Alcohol outlets in Nebraska growing at a rate twice as fast as the state s population An overconcentration of outlets in areas created vulnerable neighborhoods Neighbors and city leaders had experienced powerlessness in liquor licensing decisions Use of city s land-use powers to gain regulatory authority to control the environment around alcohol outlets - complementing the state liquor control commission s authority.

A Problem Demanding Attention When all other factors were

drinking were observed among youths residing in zip codes

3 A Problem Demanding Attention When all other factors were controlled, higher initial levels of drinking and excessive drinking were observed among youths residing in zip codes with higher alcohol densities. Chen, M., Gruenewald, P.J., & Remer, L.G. (2009). Does alcohol outlet density affect youth access to alcohol? Journal of Adolescent Health, 44(6),

4 A Problem Demanding Attention The Tipping Point Building frustration among residents Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association Supreme Court Case (2006) Alcohol Impact Coalition (2007) Prevent alcoholic beverage sale activities from becoming a source of public nuisance.

5 The Science A foundation for action Summary of Task Force Finding The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends the use of regulatory authority (e.g., through licensing and zoning) to limit alcohol outlet density on the basis of sufficient evidence of a positive association between outlet density and excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. Intervention Alcohol outlet density regulation is defined as applying regulatory authority to reduce alcoholic beverage outlet density or to limit the increase of alcoholic beverage outlet density. Regulation is often implemented through licensing or zoning processes. An alcohol outlet is a place where alcohol may be legally sold for the buyer to drink there (on-premises outlets, such as bars or restaurants) or elsewhere (off-premises outlets, such as liquor stores). Density refers to the number of alcohol outlets in a given area.

6 Driven by the Community A Coalition of Broad Community Support Anti-violence Urban developers Faith community Enforcement Public health groups Neighborhood associations Retailers

7 The Legal Foundation A critical component Local governing bodies shall only have authority to approve applications and deny licenses pursuant to the Nebraska Liquor Control Act. The governing bodies of cities and villages are authorized to regulate by ordinance, not inconsistent with the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, the business of all retail licensees carried on with the corporate limits of the city or village.

8 Nuisance Abatement Ordinances Protect residential, commercial, industrial, and civic areas and minimize adverse impacts. Provide opportunities for alcoholic beverage sales activities to operate in mutually beneficial relationships. Provide a mechanism to address problems associated with public consumption. Prevent alcoholic beverage sale activities from becoming a source of public nuisance.

9 Alcohol Sales Location Nuisance Standards Omaha s Good Neighbor Policy Authorizes the city to regulate businesses with retail liquor licenses so business activity is consistent with the public interest. Authorizes the city to define, regulate, suppress and prevent nuisances stemming from licensed establishments. Functions by using the city s land use powers to set conditions of operation on alcohol-sales establishments that reflect the community s standards. Provides the city s planning department the authority to suspend, cancel, or revoke an alcohol-sales establishment s certificate of occupancy if nuisances are not abated as directed.

10 An Example of Use: local authority complimenting state regulatory authority

11 The Next Steps for Omaha Implementation Assisting the city in defining the process. Assisting the city in creating the necessary instruments. Looking for tangible effects of the ordinance in neighborhoods. Enforcement Working with police department to ensure their input and buy-in. Impact Evaluation Stakeholder groups to evaluate economic and public health and safety outcomes.

How Alcohol Outlets Affect Neighborhood Violence

Translating Science into Practice How Alcohol Outlets Affect Neighborhood Violence Kathryn Stewart www.resources.prev.org Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation is one of the nation's preeminent