LITTLE SILVER – Residents could be raising their glass in the comforts of their own borough if a referendum is approved on Nov. 3.
Residents will head to the polls next week to vote on a referendum that could — if it is approved— see the borough issue its first license for on-premise consumption of alcohol.
“Little Silver, in its entire history, has never issued a retail consumption license,” Mayor Robert C. Neff told The Hub in August.
According to Neff, the question of a license was put to a referendum more than 30 years ago and was defeated by a two-to-one margin.
“Presently, we have a licensed liquor store in town — the Little Silver Bottle Shop — and the A&P is licensed to sell warm beer and wine, but our restaurants are all bring-your-own,” he said in August.
According to Borough Attorney Meghan Bennett Clark, the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s current standards dictate that municipalities are allowed to sell one consumption license for every 3,000 residents.
With slightly less than 6,000 residents, the borough would be allowed to sell one license if the referendum is approved by voters.
Putting the question to a referendum was the idea of resident Matt Kelly, who proposed the idea to council late last year. He submitted a petition with more than 350 signatures of registered Little Silver voters in support of the license.
Kelly’s idea is to open a family style bar and restaurant near the Little Silver train station.
“Little Silver is a great place, and I think this would be a nice, central location, a place right in town, where families and residents can go after events or meetings to gather and socialize while enjoying a bite to eat and a nice glass of wine or beer,” he said.
A resolution that was approved by council members in August states that the referendum is binding, which means that, if passed, the issuance of a plenary retail consumption license by the borough would be allowed. However, if the majority of voters opt to vote against the proposal, the issuance of the license would not be allowed.
The decision of the voters on the referendum question will be binding for five years.