While debate surrounding the Alcohol Licensing Density Ordinance has continued to grow, the City Council Tuesday approved an extension to the ordinance’s sunset date to allow for further review.
The council unanimously voted to extend the ordinance’s expiration date for the third time, moving it back to July 5. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the council extended ALDO because the ordinance has controversial provisions that require more time for consideration. This is the third extension of the sunset since last year.
One of the ordinance’s unintended consequences the city’s Alcohol License Review Committee has debated extensively is the limitation on entertainment venues, Verveer said. The debate has yet to be resolved, requiring further review.
“The biggest item we have to discuss is the [ALRC] subcommittee’s proposed modification to create entertainment license possibilities,” said ALRC member Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, the District 5 alder.
Because of ALDO’s specificity to the downtown area, changes could have direct implications for University of Wisconsin students.
Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Chair Sam Polstein said one of ASM’s major reform goals is for ALDO to adopt a special entertainment classification. He said the ordinance currently restricts more options for student nightlife in the downtown area.
Since ALDO’s enactment in 2007, Verveer said numerous entertainment businesses such as live music venues, bowling alleys and a dueling piano bar considered opening venues in Madison but were unable to make it through the city approval process because of ALDO’s limitations on the number of alcohol licenses permitted downtown.
Verveer said Madison needs more entertainment options for the large population of students younger than 21. Though the ALRC subcommittee has pushed for downtown special entertainment provisions, ALRC has not yet taken up full support for the decision.
Polstein said while he hopes to see many reforms to the problematic ordinance, he believes ALDO proved that alcohol policymakers’ hearts were in the right place.
“It’s nice to have a little more time but we’ll have to get on the ball right now,” Polstein said.
ALDO was initially enacted to help improve downtown safety and maintain a diverse commercial landscape in the downtown area, Verveer said. Verveer said he was concerned State Street would turn into Bourbon Street, making extending ALDO the “only reasonable thing to do.”
Verveer said the entire council was in support of renewing ALDO’s sunset date because the ordinance is a difficult issue that requires a lot of time, especially with the turnover of new alders after April’s election.
“[The extension] is good for now, but we can’t keep putting it off – eventually we have to make a final decision on ALDO,” Polstein said.
Alders also delayed ALDO’s expiration to allow for more time to debate the capacity limitations outlined in the ordinance. Currently, the ordinance limits capacity to the previous occupant’s limit without exceptions.
Polstein said the previous limits were tied to the fire code but could easily be expanded if current owners knocked down an interior wall.
Verveer said establishments like the Church Key, Wando’s and Kollege Klub could increase their legal capacity without altering the building, but ALDO currently prevents them from doing so.
If ALRC decides to formally adopt ALDO into law, the ordinance would have to pass through the hands of three other committees before making its way back to the ALRC who would recommend it to the City Council, Verveer said.
