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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Response CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PLANNING REPORT DATE: November 1, 2005 TO: Columbia Heights Planning Commission PREPARED BY: Jeff Sargent, City Planner INTRODUCTION The Planning and Zoning Commission was to comment on the possibility of extending the bar closing time from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and submit the comments to the City Planner prior to the November 1, 2005 meeting. Two comments were emailed to the planner and a third was described in a telephone conversation. Of the three responses, the City received three different opinions. The emailed responses are attached herein. Chair Szurek stated that she feels that the 1:00 a.m. closing time is sufficient and that she sees no reason to extend the closing time to 2:00 a.m. She feels that there were negative impacts to the City when the City extended the liquor stores’ selling time to a later hour, and that extending a bar’s closing time to 2:00 a.m. would result in similar negative impacts. Member Thompson doesn’t feel that there is a point in allowing bars to remain open until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings or most Holiday eves, but feels that extending the hours on Friday and Saturday nights would be acceptable. Mr. Thompson would trust the Police Department’s assessment on the situation and would support their action. Member Peterson is in favor of the 2:00 a.m. closing time for Star Central, only if they met specific conditions. The proposed conditions are outlined in his attached email letter. Mr. Peterson stated that the idea is to have all bars be better self-policers, and consequently, better neighbors to the community they reside in. Each bar requesting a 2:00 a.m. closing time would have to follow the same conditions as he listed, forcing them to be aware of the ordinance and be better neighbors.