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Residents press Rancho Cucamonga leaders over Hamilton Family Brewery noise, parking and safety
Summary
Residents told the City Council and staff that the Hamilton Family Brewery has caused recurring late-night noise, parking loss and public-safety incidents; staff reported no code-level noise violations from 40–43 readings, installed tow-away signage and red curbs, and said an ABC appeal decision is expected in June. Council asked staff to return with a residential parking-permit proposal in May.
Residents filled the council chambers to press city officials for action on repeated late-night disturbances tied to Hamilton Family Brewery, saying the business’s customers regularly take neighborhood parking, create safety hazards and sometimes leave intoxicated patrons in residential areas.
“My quality of life is gone out the door,” said LeVay Bland, a nearby resident, describing late-night noise, patrons peeing in the street and episodes of people passed out on sidewalks. Several other neighbors provided similar accounts and asked the city to require security changes, limit operating hours and adopt parking controls.
City staff presented a follow-up report on the brewery’s minor-use permit. Engineering and public-safety staff said they met with brewery owner Josh Hamilton and with a resident subcommittee, installed no-parking tow-away signage and painted red curbs on affected blocks, and conducted roughly 40–43 noise measurements at different times and event conditions. According to staff, the readings did not show code violations but monitoring did include nights with sporting events and other high-noise occasions.
Staff also said Hamilton submitted a security plan and an agreement with a private security contractor; that plan is under review and will be public record once finalized. The city noted that the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) appeal on the brewery’s license is still pending and that the earliest decision the city was told to expect is June, with the potential for further appeals.
Residents delivered petitions seeking a permanent residential parking-permit district. Staff explained the typical process: either residents petition and collect signatures from at least 75% of affected households in a defined area or the council may initiate the district and direct staff to prepare a resolution and findings. The council acknowledged towing can impose heavy costs on residents — one speaker said she paid $612 to retrieve a towed car — and discussed enforcement options ranging from towing to city parking patrols. City staff said new parking-enforcement positions are anticipated in the current budget cycle.
Councilmembers repeatedly acknowledged the residents’ fatigue and the seriousness of the complaints, and asked staff to continue facilitating meetings between the owner and resident subcommittee. Several councilmembers and staff expressed support for exploring a third-party, independent noise study to address concerns about monitoring transparency.
The council received and filed the staff report and directed staff to return with recommendations on a residential parking-permit district and other possible interim actions; staff said their goal was to bring a parking-permit proposal to the first May meeting but cautioned the timeline could shift.
What happens next: staff will continue mediation between residents and Hamilton Family Brewery, finalize review of the brewery’s security plan, explore third-party noise monitoring, and prepare the parking-permit district analysis and proposed resolution for council consideration in May.
