Was I at Those Meetings??

As reported (Plan Commission asks for changes at Watercrest, clarification on beer gardens) in this week's Herald Independent, the Monona Plan Commission is currently reviewing proposed revisions to the city's beer garden ordinance. I was not at the Plan Commission meeting, but I was at the License Review Committee (LRC) meetings (I chair that committee) when we reviewed this proposed ordinance. After reading the Herald report I have to set the record straight on a couple points.

First, the LRC took up this proposed revision to provide guidance to bar and restaurant owners who want to provide outdoor areas for patrons to eat, drink, and smoke. The proposed ordinance would remove the current requirement that a licensed bartender be present on the outdoor patio at all times, a requirement that struck me and the LRC as unduly burdensome and unnecessary. I want to remove that requirement.

We want to create a fair and reasonable ordinance that provides clear guidance for the creation of outdoor patio areas without creating a backdoor to circumvent the indoor smoking ordinance. That's why the draft requires that at least 30% of any enclosure be open to allow for the circulation of air.

The draft ordinance approved by the LRC did not prohibit the use of a screened porch as an outdoor alcohol consumption area. The reference to 'screening' was added by staff after the LRC review.

And in point of fact, the LRC did ask staff to look at regulations in Madison and Fitchburg and we were informed that neither city has any ordinance regulating what kind of structures can be built for these outdoor areas.

(Madison does allow for a "smoking room in a restaurant which is separately ventilated from each and every other area of the restaurant". That Madison ordinance runs entirely contrary to the entire point of the indoor smoking ordinance and in any event does not apply to outdoor areas.)

Stay tuned for further developments.