Under current city ordinance, cafés on State Street can only sell alcohol outdoors until 10:30 p.m., an issue the City Council reviewed Tuesday night.

The cafés are allowed to serve alcohol in clear glasses until 11 p.m. and must take down sidewalk setups by midnight.

Ald. Austin King, District 8, and City Council President Mike Verveer have introduced a proposal to allow outdoor cafés to serve alcohol until 11:30 p.m. and in clear glasses until midnight. The ordinance would mandate restaurants to close the outdoor setups at 1 a.m.

The Council passed the proposal at the Tuesday night meeting.

Ald. Steve Holtzman, District 19, however, offered opposition to the proposal, saying it could cost the Madison Police Department more money to enforce drinking-related problems.

But as Verveer noted, the cafés have never caused trouble for the MPD.

“The police department has never had any problem with sidewalk cafés, and they shouldn’t start to now,” he said.

King said many restaurants would benefit from extending the hours in which alcohol can be served outside.

He pointed to Hawk’s Bar and Grill, the largest sidewalk café on State Street, as “a perfect example.”

Owner Hawk Schenkel said people get upset when they are drinking outside and are asked to move inside because it is 11 p.m.

Schenkel is also a member of Madison’s Oversight Vending Committee and suggested the council change the ordinance.

He said after going to the theatre, people like to sit outside and have a glass of wine. He also said with the addition of the Civic Center, more people would want to sit at a sidewalk café for drinks after a show.

“I think it is great Madison is being progressive enough to think about [the ordinance],” Schenkel said.

Among other items discussed at the meeting was a proposal to allow families to keep four chickens on their property to harvest organic eggs and meat.

Madison residents argued they should be able to keep chickens as long as they are properly cared for.

Ald. Matt Sloan, District 13, sponsored the proposal.

“I have learned a heck of a lot about chicken in the last few months,” Sloan said.

He feels fellow council members should approve the proposed ordinance, noting if people can have dogs that are larger and louder than chickens, they should be able to raise chickens.

Ald. Judy Compton, District 16, brought up concerns about chickens attacking people and possible diseases they could bring to neighborhoods.

Dr. Barbra Vedder addressed these concerns at the meeting, saying chickens are known to have salmonella, but neighbors would not be in danger unless they came in contact with the animals.

She also explained that chickens sometimes carry rare forms of the flu virus, but this is uncommon among chickens in America.

“They’re really no more dangerous than any animal you would have in a home,” Vedder said.

Compton was also concerned about the possibility of the chickens drawing coyotes into neighborhoods.

Ald. Paul Skidmore, District 9, was skeptical of this concern.

“I’m not sure that bringing chickens in will bring more wildlife in,” Skidmore said.

He explained coyotes have an abundance of other wildlife to feed on, including squirrels.