ALRC Meeting WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH!!

The next Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) meeting where committee members will discuss changes to the Alcohol License Density Ordinance is tomorrow night (Wed. 2/16)!!!! The meeting is at 5:30 at the City County Building rm 201.

Tomorrow night, the ALRC will only vote on whether or not to extend ALDO as it exists now, to July 1, 2011 instead of allowing it to sunset on March 5, 2011. The other suggested changes to ALDO will be discussed tomorrow, but not voted on.

Some of the changes to ALDO that the ALRC sub-committee has put forth are:

• 365 day window
• Exceptional circumstances
• Entertainment venues

Here is where the Coalition stands on these revisions:

365 day windowà We want to keep the 365 day window as is, not double it.

We know from extensive research done around the globe that limiting the number of alcohol-outlets reduces crime and violence. However, doubling the window of time for allowing a new tavern to open after an existing tavern closes does not work to gradually reduce the number of stand-alone bars over-time. Therefore, expanding the window does not do what ALDO was set out to accomplish. We must keep the 365 day window in place and strong. One year is a reasonable amount of time to find a new tenant in a competitive real estate area like downtown Madison. If new tenants are not able to be found within that time frame, ALDO does not keep other successful businesses from opening up in that location, just not another bar.

Exceptional circumstancesà We do not want the allowable alcohol revenue percentage for exceptional circumstances to be increased.

Currently, the exceptional circumstance clause does not allow more than 25% of a non-bar business’ revenue to come from alcohol. Increasing this percentage, as is being recommended by the ALRC sub-committee, allows more alcohol to be poured in our downtown which undermines the purpose of ALDO and puts our downtown at risk. Half of a business’ revenue does not need to come from alcohol in order for it to be successful in downtown Madison. 

Entertainment Venuesà ALDO was created to limit and gradually reduce the number of Class B alcohol licenses in the ALDO district so we do not want this revision to become a back door for bars. 

ALDO was created to limit and gradually reduce the number of class B alcohol licenses in the ALDO district. It doesn't matter what you want to call the establishment, a bar or an entertainment venue, but the point here is that the overall number of class B liquor licenses must not increase. Changing the mix is great, adding more entertainment venues sounds fantastic, but don’t make it a back door to ALDO for bars and allow the overall number to increase. 

The Coalition wants to see the Madison community, including businesses, thrive. But adding to the already saturated bar market in our downtown will not carry our neighborhood forward! Let's keep ALDO strong and make it permenent!