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Opening a restaurant and bar in downtown Fullerton used to be so easy.
Now fights, drunkenness, vandalism and other headaches that come with the nightlife business have led the city to put stricter rules on the restaurants and bars that are a big draw to its downtown.
The North County college town has some 50 restaurants and bars on and around Harbor Boulevard. Many tum into late-evening nightclubs, which bring in people from Orange and Los Angeles counties as well as the Inland Empire.
For more than a year, city officials have struggled to get a grip on downtown's raging nightlife, which has brought higher police costs and complaints from residents and business owners.
Last year, Fullerton spent nearly $1 million on policing and cleaning up downtown. This year, the city estimates it will have to spend $1.6 million on public safety and trash services just for downtown.
In April, a new ordinance brought stricter rules for new and existing restaurants and bars. New businesses have to apply for permits if they want to operate primarily as bars and nightclubs. The , city also can restrict their hours.
For new as well as existing restaurants, happy hours now have to end at 7 p.m., something designed to keep bars from packing in people at all hours with the lure of cheap drinks.
And all businesses have to adhere to the city's lighting standards and improve security by hiring licensed, uniformed security guards.
To limit noise, businesses now are prohibited from having amplified music on outdoor patios. Lines to get into crowded bars are limited to 25 people.
Penalties for violations include criminal citations, civil action from the city attorney or revoked licenses.
Some restaurant and bar owners are unhappy with the new rules, though many are reluctant to complain too loudly. Most say they'll do what they have to. A few welcome a uniform set of rules.
"It's important to have rules," said John Sanchez, owner and founder of Envy Ultra Lounge.
Sanchez, who started his upscale restaurant and bar last year, said he welcomes the rules despite challenges like limiting the number of people waiting in line.
"I don't know if the city completely understands what it's like to run a business, but...