City Proposal Could Limit Bars to One Homicide Per Year

The City Council is reportedly mulling a curious proposal that would shut down bars as “public nuisances” if more than one person is killed there within a year. That’s right — one murder is fine, but two are pushing it. How very Deadwood. Apart from that eye-catching provision, however, the proposal’s language frees authorities to close places for pretty much any repeated violations (for instance, regular pot smoking or three “violent felonies” on the premises). Club owners, including the folks behind Sol and Crobar, are crying foul: According to them, the nuisance legislation’s language is so vague it can slap the n-word (nuisance, that is) on a bar for virtually any infraction. Which could be a problem. While we’re all for the thinning of the progressively vile 27th Street herd, we’d prefer that the culling be done constitutionally.

Council Mulls Bill To Tighten Curbs on Bars [NYS]
The Short, Drunken Life of Club Row [NYM]