Posted: 5/2/07
Final Draft - by Cliff Buchan
Forest Lake — Is it families first or parties first?
There was a time in Forest Lake — and the entire school district for that — when the area was proclaimed a families first community. Heck, this newspaper even printed a weekly column touting that theme.
But times change and apparently so do attitudes of what leaders want the community to represent.
Now, instead of a families first theme, it would seem that Forest Lake is headed in a new direction. Now it’s more of a party first theme.
It was more than a bit distressing last week to see the Forest Lake City Council greatly relax its rules for Lakeside Memorial Park and the adjacent municipal parking lot.
The most questionable news was the city’s approval of a request by the Forest Lake Lions Club to sell beer at the Friday, June 1 Arts in the Park kick-off concert that features the always popular Rockin’ Hollywoods.
It was just one of a number of special permits granted by the council that strips away the city’s strict rules for park use and alcohol consumption. Yes, they are temporary permits, but the approval may well set precedent that will make it hard to say no in the future.
It’s the old slippery slope once again.
It’s easy to understand the motivation of the Lions Club. It’s a great venue for any kind of concessions and beer sales may well net some profit.
And the club most certainly does good things with its funds. The club needs to raise funds to support its many worthy causes.
Beer drinkers will be confined to a drinking area to prevent random wandering throughout the park area.
Downtown bars are also expanding their scope, thanks to permits allowing a number of special events in the parking area.
In some cases, sections of the municipal parking lot will be roped off to allow street dancing, skate boarding and the like.
Again, it is easy to understand the motivation of the downtown businesses that sell liquor and food.
There are capitalistic gains for the businesses plus a commitment to donate funds to the Legion’s Fourth of July fund-raiser. Who can argue against such points?
But the city’s decision does create a slippery slope. And it’s not only for future decisions and future requests.
History lesson.
For years, Forest Lake had no specific rules that prevented consumption of liquor in public.
After dealing with Fourth of July liquor problems for years, the city cracked down, passing ordinances that made any form of public consumption and possession of alcohol illegal. Tight-lipped Legion members did not like the rule change but accepted it, perhaps knowing it was best.
Now, with a handful of council votes, the restrictions are being lifted for some special events.
Beer sales in the park are sure to be a headache for the city police. There will be control issues for those in the park on June 1 and at the later events.
There will the added worry of more motorists with too much to drink heading out on the road. There is no question that extra police work will mean a hit on the department’s budget.
The police will find the no alcohol in public rule harder to enforce in the days following the Rockin’ Hollywoods concert.
Good luck trying to keep beer and more out of the park on the Fourth of July. Changing what is allowed on one day does send the public a mixed message.
For years, Lakeside Park has been earmarked as a family park.
Will introducing beer change that atmosphere?
Will beer eventually be added as a nightly concession for the Arts in the Park summer schedule?
What will be next? Beer sales at local baseball games played on a school field?
The city has a fine line to walk. Balancing the interests of business owners and how public space is used is delicate.
Finding ways to help the downtown businesses would seem logical, but there was no indication that solutions were explored that would produce a real compromise that would not require throwing rules out the window.
While the businesses and organizations like the Lions may see some short term gains, the real loser in the deal is the community.
Perhaps the goal of making Forest Lake a families first community was too good to be true.
Party on works much easier.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605