772-25 Huguitos Restaurant and Bar, LLC -Special Conditions.pdf

772-25 June 24, 2025 TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE, ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY WEST ORANGE ABC BOARD RESOLUTION WHEREAS, an Application has been filed by Huguitos Bar and Restaurant LLC, 19 White Street, West Orange, NJ, for renewal of its Plenary Retail Consumption License # 0722- 33-024-005, for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, the Application submitted to the Township Clerk and in compliance with New Jersey State Laws regulating the sale, consumption, and distribution of alcoholic beverages; and WHEREAS, in May, 2018, following an ABC inspection, numerous ABC violations were observed and recommendations made for certain ABC violation charges to be brought against the Licensee, including, but not limited to, failure to provide a copy of the most recent full application and/or current renewal application, having an incomplete employee list, failure to have true book or books of account available on the licensed premises, failure to produce same within seven business days of demand, employee hindering an investigation, lease out of the License, and non-payment of required taxes, or failure of proof of payment of same, such charges currently pending; and WHEREAS, in February, 2009, notices of alcoholic beverage control charges, including seven separate allegations of violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.6, prohibiting immoral activities, disturbance and nuisance on the premises, and two separate allegations of violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.1(b), prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated persons, were brought by the Township of West Orange against Huguitos Bar and Restaurant, LLC, License # 0722-33- 024-005, and properly served upon that Licensee; and WHEREAS, the Township and the Licensee, each represented by counsel, in order to avoid the time and expense of a hearing on the charges, came to a mutually satisfactory agreement to resolve all of the charges; and WHEREAS, the Township Council of the Township of West Orange, sitting as and constituting the Township’s ABC Board, at its regular meeting held on the evening of March 24, 2009, having pursuant to the aforesaid agreement accepted a plea of non-vult to Count III of the ABC charges brought against the Licensee on February 18, 2009, alleging violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.6, Prohibition Against Immoral Activities, Disturbance, and Nuisance on Premises, specifically that "The Licensee has

against the Licensee on February 18, 2009, alleging violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.6, Prohibition Against Immoral Activities, Disturbance, and Nuisance on Premises, specifically that "The Licensee has violated N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.6, in that it has repeatedly and over a period of more than a year, allowed, permitted, or suffered in or upon the licensed premises brawls, acts of violence, disturbances and/or unnecessary noise, requiring many calls to and interventions by the West Orange Police Department, and numerous charges against the licensed premises, including, but not limited to, incidents and charges of such conduct occurring on September 8, 2007, May 7, 2008, May 18, 2008, June 22, 2008, August 17, 2008, August 28, 2008, and November 23, 2008, such that the operation of this licensed premises has been a nuisance."; and WHEREAS, in exchange for the non-vult plea of the Licensee, the agreement provided for a 10 day suspension of the license, 5 days to be held in abeyance for a period of one year and to be served in the event of a liquor license violation within that one year period of time, 5 days to be served commencing on a Sunday, and the voluntary restrictions in place since September,

2008, are to be continued as follows: Sunday through Wednesday last call at 12:30 a.m., closing at 1:00 a.m., and Thursday, Friday and Saturday last call at 1:00 a.m., and closing by 2:00 a.m., no patrons admitted to the premises after 12:30 a.m., on Sunday through Wednesday, and no patrons admitted to the premises after 1:00 a.m., on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the additional security to be continued, one officer on Thursday and two on Friday and Saturday, all of those voluntary restrictions to be revisited in connection with the licensee's renewal for the 2009/2010 license year in June, 2009, when the West Orange ABC Board can consider whether or not special conditions should be imposed with renewal of the license; and WHEREAS, the Licensee, the West Orange Police Department and the municipal ABC Board came to an agreement with respect to Special Conditions to be imposed for the 2009 to 2010 License year; and WHEREAS, the Licensee requested that the requirement for one security personnel being present on Thursday nights be deleted because there is so little business on Thursday nights and the Police Department reporting that in view of the lack of significant incidents over the past year at the licensed premises and the existing 90-day review period, it had no objection to this requested change which was made at the time of License renewal for the 2010 to 2011 License year; and WHEREAS, the Licensee was notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the ABC Board’s intention to continue the same Special Conditions for the 2012 to 2013 License Term, and was provided with an opportunity to object and be heard with respect to the Special Conditions to be imposed, and notified the ABC Board by letter dated June 6, 2012, from counsel for the Licensee, that the Licensee requested the Special Conditions to be amended to include that the Licensee shall have last call Monday through Wednesday at 12:30 a.m., with no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 12:30 a.m., and closing at 1:00 a.m., and shall have last call Thursday through Sunday at 1:00 a.m., with no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 1:00 a.m., and closing at 2:00 a.m., requesting a hearing with respect to said request; and WHEREAS, the West Orange Police Department had reviewed its records with respect to this Licensee over the 2011 to 2012 license year and agreed that its

ing a hearing with respect to said request; and WHEREAS, the West Orange Police Department had reviewed its records with respect to this Licensee over the 2011 to 2012 license year and agreed that its records supported a modification of the Special Conditions consistent with the request of the Licensee; and WHEREAS, the ABC Board then approved renewal of the License for the 2012 – 2013 License Term as follows; A. The Licensee shall have last call on Monday through Wednesday at 12:30 a.m., no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 12:30 a.m., closing at 1:00 a.m.; B. The Licensee shall have last call on Thursday through Sunday at 1:00 a.m., no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 1:00 a.m., and closing at 2:00 a.m.; C. The Licensee shall provide at least two security officers on Friday and Saturday evenings until closing on each of those nights; D. The Licensee shall provide at least two security video cameras outside the premises, one covering the Ashland Avenue side of the building and the other the White Street side of the building, and at least two security video cameras inside the premises, one covering the entire bar area and the other covering the back room, all security video cameras to be properly maintained, kept in proper working order and the video disks or tapes kept for 30 days before being recycled;

E. Members of the West Orange Police Department shall periodically monitor the security system in place at the Licensed premises including all security video cameras, personnel and deployment of all of them, and the Licensee shall work with the Police Department to maintain and, as necessary or advisable, improve security in and outside the Licensed premises to address and remedy alcohol consumption related problems; F. All of the above Special Conditions shall be subject to review by the Board every ninety (90) days, and in the event there are incidents implicating the purpose of the ABC regulatory scheme to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of the State of New Jersey, and the fostering of moderate and responsible use and consumption of alcoholic beverages, then, subject to the Licensee’s right to be heard at a public hearing, the Board may adjust the Special Conditions without the need to wait for the next license renewal; and WHEREAS, by letter dated May 9, 2025, sent by the Municipal Clerk that day to the Licensee via certified mail, registered return receipt, and to the Licensee’s counsel via e-mail advising all of the ABC Board’s intention to impose the same Special Conditions upon renewal of the License for the 2025-2026 License Term, modifying the language in Special Condition D., and offering a formal hearing in the event the Licensee had any objection to such Special Conditions and in the same fashion as done in each of the preceding years since the 2012-2013 renewal; and WHEREAS, the Licensee has by its inaction consented to the same Special Conditions upon renewal together with the proposed modification of the language in Special Condition D.; and WHEREAS, the ABC Commissioner for the State of New Jersey has advised that the Special Condition set forth in paragraph F., above, exceeds the Township’s lawful discretion; and WHEREAS, the Township has never actually imposed or modified a Special Condition at times other than expressly permitted by statute; and WHEREAS, this Licensee currently has seven (7) ABC violation charges pending hearing and resolution as follows: Violation #1: On May 4, 2018, you failed to provide a copy of the most recent full application and/or current renewal application in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.13(a)(2); Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 1-day suspension; Violation #2: On May 4, 2018, you failed

most recent full application and/or current renewal application in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.13(a)(2); Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 1-day suspension; Violation #2: On May 4, 2018, you failed to maintain a complete employee list in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.13(a)(3); Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 1-day suspension; Violation #3: On May 4, 2018, you failed to maintain true book or books of account available on the licensed premises but produced same within seven (7) business days of demand in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.32; Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 2-day suspension;

Violation #4: On May 4, 2018, you failed to maintain true book or books of account available on the licensed premises and failed to produce same within seven (7) business days of demand in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.32; Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 30-day suspension; Violation #5: On May 4, 2018, your employee(s) hindered or attempted to hinder an ABC investigation in violation of N.J.S.A. 33:1-35/N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.30; Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 30-day suspension; Violation #6: On May 4, 2018, you allowed, permitted the lease of the licensed premises in violation of N.J.S.A. 33:1-26; Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense= 45-day suspension; and Violation #7: On May 4, 2018, you knowingly failed to pay to pay excise taxes or other payment required by law to be paid to the State Tax Commissioner in violation of N.J.S.A. 33:1-31(c); Recommended Penalty: 1st Offense = 15-day suspension; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE serving as the Township Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control, does hereby approve the renewal of the Plenary Retail Consumption License heretofore issued to the Licensee, Huguitos Bar and Restaurant, LLC, bearing License # 0722- 33-024-005, for the 2025-2026 licensing term for the premises at 19 White Street, subject to the following Special Conditions pursuant to N.J.S.A. 33:1-32: A. The Licensee shall have last call on Monday through Wednesday at 12:30 a.m., no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 12:30 a.m., closing at 1:00 a.m.; B. The Licensee shall have last call on Thursday through Sunday at 1:00 a.m., no patrons to be admitted to the premises after 1:00 a.m., and closing at 2:00 a.m.; C. The Licensee shall provide at least two security officers on Friday and Saturday evenings until closing on each of those nights; D. The Licensee shall provide at least two security video cameras outside the premises, one covering the Ashland Avenue side of the building and the other the White Street side of the building, and at least two security video cameras inside the premises, one covering the entire bar area and the other covering the back room, all security video cameras to be operating during all hours when the Licensed Premises is open for business, to be properly maintained, kept in proper working order and the video disks or tapes kept and made available to the West Orange

rating during all hours when the Licensed Premises is open for business, to be properly maintained, kept in proper working order and the video disks or tapes kept and made available to the West Orange Police Department upon request for at least thirty (30) days following the date of recording and before being recycled; E. Members of the West Orange Police Department shall periodically monitor the security system in place at the Licensed premises including all security video cameras, personnel and deployment of all of them, and the Licensee shall work with the Police Department to maintain and, as necessary or advisable, improve security in and outside the Licensed premises to address and remedy alcohol consumption related problems; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution shall be provided to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control of the State of New Jersey and shall be maintained in the Township’s permanent Alcoholic Beverage Control records, and that

the Director is, and hereby is, respectfully requested to grant his approval to the foregoing Special Conditions as required by statute, and to communicate that approval to the Township of West Orange, which approval shall then also be maintained in the Township’s permanent ABC records; The above Resolution was passed by the Township Council of the Township of West Orange sitting and serving as the West Orange Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control at their regular meeting held on June 24, 2025. KAREN J. CARNEVALE, RMC JOE KRAKOVIAK ABC Board Secretary Council President/ABC Board Member Adopted: June 24, 2025 Effective: June 24, 2025