How do they think we should deal with alcohol use downtown? Is the program limiting the number of licenses in a random area really working?
Here’s the email sent out last night to ALRC, Plan Commission and Economic Development Committee Members.
From: Woulf, Mark
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 7:01 PM
To: All Alders
Cc: PD PSRC; ‘Ana E Zambie’; David Hart; ‘Michael Donnelly’; ‘Rachel Lepak’; ‘Tom Landgraf’; ‘Stevenson, Samuel’; ‘Mary Carbine’; Ken Opin; Eric Sundquist; Melissa Berger; Michael Heifetz; ‘hiwayman@chorus.net’; Cantrell; ‘tonyaalhn@aol.com’; ‘jfinnemore@madison.k12.wi.us’; Al Zimmerman; Ed Clarke; Joe Boucher; Julia Stone; Mark Greene; Matt Younkle; Pat Schramm; Peng Her; Sandy Torklidson; Selkowe, Victoria; Alan Schwartzstein; Carl Chenoweth; Wilcox, Judy; Kay, Lori; Pat Lasky; Renae Sieling Work; sjzahner@facstaff.wisc.edu
Subject: Staff Recommendations Re: Alcohol License Density OrdinanceDear Alders and Committee Members,
Please see the attached documents relating to the Resolution #23090, directing staff to develop an alcohol license management and business development plan for downtown. This comes to all of you as a first look at the package of recommendations from staff on both policy issues. Our hope is that you take the time to read through the recommendations and prepare to comment through the public process. This is to serve as a general framework for moving forward on both alcohol license management and business development. Staff is suggesting two ways to move forward at this point: 1) Adopt a short-term extension of the Alcohol License Density Ordinance of January 1, 2014; and 2) Approve a resolution that directs staff to begin drafting policies and ordinances, based on the recommendations, that would come back for further review over the next several months.
We are currently working on language for the resolution to be introduced next Tuesday that will further clarify the process. This will be sent around to all of you as soon as we finalize language. Let me be clear, this is merely the very first step in a lengthy process. Given the wide-ranging scope of the recommendations, we find it important to get guidance at this point before any major steps are taken to implement any of the suggestions. These are working documents and meant to be treated as such. In other words, no recommendation is meant to be final, it is meant to be scrutinized and improved throughout the process. We look forward to your feedback.
For reference in how to read the attachments:
1) The letter clarifies our process and recommendations of staff. ALDO cover letter
2) The recommendations report gives background and implementation suggestions for every item.ALDO Recommendations Report
3) Definition matrix. This document is further clarified on Page 3-4 in the Recommendations Report and provides a framework for new alcohol license definitions. The final column, on the far right, refers to Page 6-7 of the Recommendations Report. ALDO Defintions MatrixSincerely,
Mark Woulf
Food and Alcohol Policy Coordinator
Office of Mayor Paul R. Soglin
(608) 266-4611
The recommendations document is 17 pages long, but here’s the summary.
Ordinances and Budgetary Items
Recommendation: Adopt new, revised definitions of types of alcohol licenses. Create definitions, within MGO Chapter 38, of different types of alcohol licenses (see attached matrix); create specific criteria that applicants must meet as a condition of license approval; and, set up formal enforcement process based on violations of said definitions. Definitions would be applicable city-wide.
Recommendation: Improve and simplify the liquor license point system. Amend Chapter 38 to make point system on a 10-point scale; establish “credit” for participating in responsible service trainings; and, track accumulated points in a visible, electronic system.
Recommendation: Create a “State Street Overlay District (SSOD)” to restrict certain types of alcohol beverage licenses. The overlay district would define permitted, conditional, and prohibited use within the area (see map below) based on the previously stated alcohol license definitions.
Recommendation: Expand the façade improvement grant program. Expand the façade improvement grant program to include interior build out of retail spaces. If and when appropriate, city should consider funding all façade grants with Tax Incremental Financing (TIF).
Recommendation: Increase funding of the City of Madison Safety Initiative. Increase the funding in the Madison Police Department for the City of Madison Safety Initiative.
Recommendation: Improve quality assurance, responsiveness, and enforcement agility for alcohol beverage licensing. Devote a staff position to liquor licensing and enforcement monitoring, including, but not limited to, license application assistance and intake, point system management, and general licensing audits.
Recommendation: Create a city-funded wayfinding program.
Recommendation: Increase funding for mall maintenance.
Policies and Programs
Recommendation: Improve enforcement process and reporting of violations to ALRC. Hold regularly scheduled meetings of the ALRC Hearing Subcommittee; institute monthly reporting to the ALRC of all point violations; conduct a review of points accumulated at renewal time annually; detailed history of applicants if previously held liquor license.
Recommendation: Change current licensing fees and policy. Increase the amount of the $10,000 Class B Combination Reserve license fee collected by the city; implement criteria for applicants to be eligible for a grandfathered license; mandate full business plan (not including proprietary information) be submitted to ALRC and included in packet available to public.
Recommendation: Entertainment taskforce creation. Support the creation of a city taskforce devoted to improving our music scene and diversity of entertainment venues.
Recommendation: Simplify entertainment licensing. Bring 21 and 18+ Entertainment licenses under one umbrella; remove 49 capacity threshold for requiring entertainment license.
Recommendation: City-sponsored late night retail event during summer nights.
Other Recommendations
Recommendation: Create new incentives for entertainment venues.
Recommendation: Proactively encourage the location of a downtown movie theater.
Recommendation: Continue to promote the city’s music scene.
Recommendation: Allow “pop-up” retail in vacant storefronts.
Recommendation: Update web-based downtown business guide.
Recommendation: Continue to maintain current parking and construct new parking when appropriate.
Recommendation: Revisit special event parking for short-term parking ability.
Recommendation: Consider new approaches for downtown parking for employees.
Recommendation: Ensure that bonds used to fund new parking structures do not include provisions prohibiting private parking agreements.
Recommendation: Continue to improve development review and permitting downtown.
Recommendation: Increase permanent downtown residents by increasing residential units.
Recommendation: Support a proactive downtown business retention effort.
Seems as though very few of these recommendations deal with the issue of alcohol consumption and crime – which is why this ordinance was determined to be necessary and instead this is a business improvement plan. Not that this is bad – just seems like the ALDO area is about something different than what they say. I can’t really say I oppose any of the recommendations – just wonder if they would be the priority come budget time when weighed against other city needs. And of course . . . devil is in the details, I haven’t seen all the details yet!
