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City asked to change outdoor entertainment event rules |
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Wednesday, 05 December 2007 |
Cliff Buchan
News Editor
Outdoor entertainment event rules in the city of Forest Lake could be changing.
A committee that has been studying the rules this fall has asked the Forest Lake City Council to consider expanding the number of events, but further restricting the hours of operation.
The matter will be up for action during the city council’s meeting on Monday, Dec. 10. The item was tabled at the council meeting on Monday, Nov. 26 due to the absence of Council member Judy Bull who served on the committee.
The committee was formed last summer after numerous noise complaints were filed with the city. The complaints from the public were tied to downtown bars operating with permits issued by the city.
In many cases, the outdoor bands were too loud and played too late into the night.
New rules
When the council meets next Monday, it will have a new proposal to consider.
The new rules are aimed at outdoor entertainment permits for commercial businesses, non-profits and private individuals.
Under the proposed ordinance change, a bar will be entitled to have six outdoor entertainment permits with electronic or audio system for amplifying sound during a year. That’s a change from the three that are currently allowed by ordinance.
Under the proposal for businesses, no more than three shall be issued with a closing time of 10 p.m. The other three carry a 7 p.m. closing time.
A major exception will the Fourth of July holiday permit. During the American Legion Post 225-sponsored community celebration, downtown bars will be allowed to count the entire celebration period as one event and can continue events to midnight, with council approval.
That is current law today, said City Attorney David Hebert.
Non-profits would be allowed two permits during the year under the proposal. They would also be held to a 10 p.m. closing with the exception of the Fourth of July holiday which would require special city council permit approval.
A private individual can have one outdoor entertainment permit with sound during the year with a midnight closing time stipulated.
Reaction
Chief of Police Clark Quiring said he was neutral on the decision to change the rules for outdoor entertainment events. “We’re the enforcement arm, not the legislative arm,” Quiring said.
Quiring was out of town for the final of the three meetings the committee conducted. He said he was not sure why the matter came forward as presented in ordinance form.
The new rules seem to be less intense, he said. While there is no change to rules during the summer holiday celebration, the others with a 7 p.m. ending time should pose no problem.
“The gain is that three events will end earlier,” the chief said. Most complaints of noise and rowdy behavior come after 10 p.m., he said.
Another resident puzzled by the change is lifelong Forest Lake resident Corbett Johnson, who lives downtown. He was one of those who protested the noise last summer during the celebration.
After the flood of complaints last summer, Johnson said he did not expand a change of this nature.
“I thought they (the council) would curb it, rather than expand it,” Johnson said.
“I thought that was the intention. I don’t know who the committee was representing.”
Five citizens, including Forest Laker bar owner Pete Paidar, joined Bull, Quiring and City Administrator Chip Robinson as committee members.
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