NEWS
City group allows smoking venues
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Also by Darryl Schnell:
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by Darryl Schnell
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
The City of Madison Plan Commission approved, without opposition, outdoor eating areas for Monday's Bar and for a proposed tavern on Gorham Street at a meeting Sept. 19.
Both taverns sought relief from the negative effects of the smoking ban. Monday's Bar will extend the patio area behind the tavern and will allow patrons to drink on the patio. The proposed tavern, Quentin's Deli and Bar, expects to reside at 317 West Gorham Street and will restructure the parking lot on the side of the building to accommodate an eating area.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said city-zoning ordinances required the plan commission to hear a minimal number of requests for an extension to a property for an outdoor eating area.
"For a tavern looking to extend onto the sidewalk or some other public property, only the Alcohol License Review Committee is required to hear the request," Verveer said. "However, bars looking to extend their serving area onto private property must consult with the plan commission."
Verveer, a member of the ALRC, estimated the committee has heard around three-dozen requests for outdoor serving areas since the July 1 implementation of the ban. He said the committee has approved almost every request.
According to Verveer, despite the large number of requests, bar and tavern owners have been slow on the uptake in terms of their readiness to apply for outdoor eating areas. Ald. Judy Olson, District 6, said tavern owners should have prepared themselves in advance to change their establishment.
"They knew about the ban more than a year before its implementation," Olson said at a meeting for the Board of Health for Dane County and Madison. "It seemed like they just were waiting for something to happen to the ban instead of doing something to adjust."
City of Madison Common Council approved the smoking ban ordinance in April 2004.
Verveer said many tavern owners wanted to wait and see the effect the smoking ban would have on their business.
"I don't think some bar owners were anticipating such a negative effect on their business," Verveer said. "After seeing the effect the ban had, they came to the ALRC."
According to Verveer, the approval of most tavern requests for outdoor eating areas should not come as a shock.
"I am not surprised that Monday's and Quentin's got approved tonight," Verveer said. "The Mayor and common council recognize the need to provide these establishments a way to help them deal with the effects of the smoking ban."
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz remains in support of the ban, but wants to help Madison businesses as well.
"I am willing to commit city resources to help taverns gain new customers to replace those who may have left because of the ban," Cieslewicz said in a Sept. 16 release.
Three proposals to weaken or change the smoking ban ordinance are on the agenda for the common council meeting Sept. 20. The mayor and alders anticipate the meeting may last until the early hours of Sept. 21, due to public comment.
