Thank you to everyone who sat through the meeting and to those who testified supporting ALDO. The Dane County Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Abuse (DCCRAA) had a great turnout at the meeting! Thank you everyone so much for your hard work and many hours spent in evening meetings on this issue.
So the good news: ALDO passed.
The bad news: this new version of ALDO is a significantly weaker and watered down version of its former self.
So here's what we have on the books to limit the number of alcohol-outlets downtown in order to curb the alcohol-related violence, crime and destruction in an environment where over-consumption is not only accepted but almost encouraged every weekend.
- ALDO will be around for the next two years, with a sunset date of this time in 2013.
- There is a new exemption for Entertainment Venues that allows such establishments to have up to 70 percent alcohol revenue. This includes establishments with activities such as board games, volleyball and shuffleboard. Bar or "entertainment venue", you tell me. The number of these venues allowed to open downtown will be capped at seven though.
- One change the DCCRAA did make sure was made was eliminating the ability for these establishments to apply for a Class A liquor license - off-premise alcohol sales. This was in the amendments to be voted on on ALDO last night and was apparently a mistake that was caught and removed.
- The window of time to open a new bar or tavern after an existing bar or tavern closes was 365 days in the original ALDO but has been doubled in this new ALDO to 730 days.
- The Exceptional Circumstance clause of ALDO originally granted a 25 percent allowable alcohol revenue. This is for businesses that provide other goods or services but also have some alcohol sales, such a Savior Faire on the Capital Square. In this new ALDO, the allowable alcohol revenue has been increased from 25 percent to 50 percent.
- A good addition to ALDO that has come out of this debate is that an annual review of ALDO and the ALDO district is now required, which will be completed by the Alcohol Policy Coordinator for the city.This annual review will collect the appropriate data needed to properly asses the ordinance.
- Another outcome of the great public testimony from ALDO supporters at last night's meeting was the inclusion of the Public Health Department and the Madison Police Department participation in part of the ALDO resolution voted on last night that charges the City to create a business-friendly alcohol license plan for the ALDO district.
Whew! Hope you made it through the recap of last night's meeting and the summary of what ALDO has become. The reason we still have ALDO at all in Madison can certainly be attributed to all its supporters hard work. Thank you again to everyone who has spent time at ANY of the meetings throughout the last year debating the need for an ALDO and the manner in which it should be passed.
The Coalition is disappointed by the amendments that significantly weaken the ordinance, but we need to remember to celebrate our successes. Madison still has ALDO, we have not completely lost it. After a quick pat on the back, we can jump back on the horse and start pushing for a stronger version.
