In 2025, Atlantic City has been propositioned with the expansion of an open air nightclub called the Cocorico (previously called The Chelsea Beach Bar). This is an issue because the expansion will directly impact a residential area in the 5th Ward. 

The 5th Ward/Chelsea District is home to families, small businesses, churches, senior citizens and schools. It's an area of town that's residential. The current size of the Cocorico / Chelsea bar has been a problem for residents, particularly with noise, trash and parking. The plan is to make it even bigger.

Atlantic City has good reason to be concerned about expansion of the Cocorico /Chelsea Beach Bar lots. The business has a ton a violations,  a truckloads of unaddressed complaints, and a plan to expand without considering the needs of the residents.

The lease for the Cocorico requires an umbrella policy with four million dollars of liability coverage. This has not been presented.

There have been over 1,000 complaints filed against the current bar that haven't been sufficiently addressed. 

In New Jersey, noise regulations for residential areas are outlined in N.J.A.C. 7:29, which establishes sound level limits for both daytime (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and nighttime (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) hours, with specific exemptions for certain activities. These have not been strongly adhered to by the beach bar.

Here's a detailed breakdown of violations that have not been sufficiently addressed by the city with regard to this business:

• Lease Violations
• Illegal Parking Violations
• Settlement Agreement Violations
• Trash Violations
• Un-permitted Use Violations
• Liquor License Violations
• Excessive Construction (not permitted)
• Signage Violations
• Noise Violations
• Over Occupancy Violations
• Non Removal of Temporary Structures (10/31) - Never Removed
• Insurance Violations (underinsured per City & DEP requirements)
• Loitering Violations
• Lack of Security
• And there are even more issues (too many to list). Contact us to find out more.

WHO WE ARE
Preserve Our Beachfront is a grassroots citizens group, residents and businesses, who want to preserve the beach between Morris, Chelsea, and Montpelier Avenues in Atlantic City. This group is dedicated to the preservation of our beachfront, opposed to expansion of the Chelsea Beach Bar, intent on reporting irregular beach activity and excessive noise to ACPD and monitoring the handling of those complaints.

Please note: We are not raising funds for this movement. We are just asking for your signature. The donation button at the bottom is for change.org, not for us.

In light of the numerous serious violations and major issues and in an effort to PRESERVE OUR BEACHFRONT, I am signing this petition to STOP the COCORICO/Chelsea Beach Bar expansion.

Please sign this petition! And visit our website, here