A local south side bar will have a number of new restrictions placed on its operating conditions following a hearing Thursday night.

R Place, located at 1821 South Park Street, will be held to new security standards negotiated at an Alcohol License Review Committee meeting.

The ALRC unanimously passed a modified version of the Madison Police Department’s security plan that will be tacked onto the bar’s liquor license.

The hearing and recommended modifications were requested after two violent incidents took place at the bar in mid-October involving firearms and knives.

Rick Flowers, R Place owner, requested the entire security plan be dismissed after allegations the city failed to give timely notification.

Flowers reached a compromise with Joe Balles, Madison South District Police captain, which requires two licensed, armed officers be on the grounds Wednesday through Saturday, the bar’s busiest nights.

Balles’ original request required one officer to patrol the front door and one officer to patrol the parking lot where one of the October incidents occurred from 10 p.m. until close. The parties decided to shorten the hours to save Flowers money, however.

The parties agreed to an armed security guard to monitor the front door beginning at 11 p.m. and a second guard to monitor the parking lot beginning at 1 a.m. Both will be on duty until close.

Currently, Flowers employs a security team that costs about $200 per night. He said the additional officers with the proposed hours would bring the cost total to more than $400 per night, a request Flowers said was not reasonable.

Since the October incidents, Flowers said business has drastically decreased, which Flowers said not only reduces the need for two guards, but also puts a large financial strain on the business.

Although the bar already has security measures in place similar to those found in airports, Balles said armed guards would still greatly contribute to the city’s overall safety.

Flowers also agreed to reinforcing the building inspection’s capacity of 47 people in the building, though he noted with his staff and the newly required security team, there is little room left for customers.

The city also requested that an independent, licensed staff of Flowers’ choosing should monitor the inside area by the side door to the bar to prevent underage sneak-ins and unwanted guests. Flowers did not object.

Modifications to R Place’s interior and exterior lighting as well as outside monitoring were also not opposed. Flowers supported requiring his staff to wear uniforms to make them identifiable to police.

Questions were raised on the need for increased contact with 911 at the first sign of incident, though Flowers agreed to be reasonably cooperative with the police.

In the past, Flowers has called for intervention when he felt situations were getting out of control, but MPD said calls still need to be placed earlier.

Pending further hearings to determine the necessity of the modifications, Flowers can appeal the decisions at any time.

The next hearing will be held Dec. 15 to determine the status of the bar’s liquor license, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said.