Madison’s alcohol license-granting committee recently began addressing the issues of the city’s outdated cabaret license, which requires bars to obtain a license to allow dancing, and the problem of restaurants illegally transforming into nightclubs at night.

Any nightclub ordinance or license is likely to affect establishments with more than a 100 person capacity that wishes to have dancing, according to Marsh Shapiro, Nitty Gritty owner and representative of the tavern league to the subcommittee.

The Alcohol License Review Committee Subcommittee on Cabaret and Nightclub Ordinance met for the first time last Friday and stressed uniformity in standards and framework for dealing with license holders, according to city’s official record of the meeting. For example, an issue the subcommittee raised was the number of security people present and if they are allowed to perform other tasks besides monitoring the dance floor.

Regarding the current Cabaret Ordinance, ALRC subcommittee member Stephanie Rearick said dancing is not the primary issue the subcommittee feels should be addressed, but rather the issues the cabaret ordinance isn’t addressing adequately. As an example, Rearick said security and compliance with fire and building codes are areas the new process should evaluate.

“Larger-capacity venues and events present potential problems smaller ones don’t, especially in the areas of parking and security (just addressing the fact that a higher concentration of drinking people leads to a higher likelihood of fights or other undesirable behavior) so a license application process would help us make sure those potential issues are vetted and addressed,” Rearick said in an email.

The subcommittee also began to address what constitutes a nightclub and what would be involved in a nightclub license. Capacity, square footage, layout and hours were criteria the subcommittee said should be examined.

Rearick explained restaurants that turn into nightclubs at night are a problem for police enforcing 21-and-over rules. A restaurant license allows all ages in the restaurant, while a nightclub is only allowed to have 21-plus inside. Restaurants that turn into nightclubs “often take advantage of their ability to allow underagers in,” Rearick said, so law enforcement has no clear procedure for enforcement.

“In a larger sense, [restaurants that turn into nightclubs] pose a problem because they throw a wrench into any kind of planning the city attempts to do in regard to density of alcohol establishments on State Street…alcohol-related problems (by this I mean fights, disorderly conduct, drunk driving, etc) are the No. 1 drain of police resources…so the city has made some attempts to diversify the types of establishments in the area and keep a healthier proportion of food establishments to drinking establishments,” Rearick wrote.

The subcommittee hopes to have a process established by March 2004 in time for the liquor license renewal period, Rearick said.

In addition, the subcommittee will explore possible ways for nightclubs to host 18 and up nights and still serve alcohol and also possibly look into creating a subcommittee to meet with prospective license holders.

In addition to Rearick, ALRC members Warren Onken, District 3 alderperson, and ALRC member Jan Wheaton are on the subcommittee.

The product of the subcommittee will be presented for approval by the ALRC as a whole before it is recommended for final approval by the City Council.