The West U City Council may be making a change to the city’s alcohol ordinance that would allow residents to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages at city facilities.
City Manager Michael Ross told InstantNewsWestU that council may be voting on proposed changes to the city’s alcohol ordinance at its second meeting in February.
Council directed staff this week to start drafting an ordinance that would allow the sale and consumption of alcohol at Colonial Park Pool, the Community Building and the Recreation Center.
Council said they would be in support of an ordinance that would allow special permits to be issued for events like Music Under the Stars Outdoor Classical Concert Series, Party on the Patio Summer Concert Series, wedding receptions and various city events.
They were not in support of an ordinance that would allow alcohol to be served at the Colonial Park Pool concession on a day to day basis.
Before the ordinance comes back to council for consideration, the Parks Board and the Friends of West U Parks will be asked to make a recommendation to council, Ross said.
Former Mayor Bob Kelly addressed council Monday night for the first time since leaving office last May.
He told council that he was in favor of allowing special permits.
“West U is a very progressive city,” he said. “The time has come for us to do something like this.”
Kelly told InstantNewsWestU that he doesn’t see any issues with special permits, but “the devil’s in the details.”
Kelly said the city started experimenting with allowing alcohol in city facilities when a resolution was approved in August 2010 allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol at the Recreation Center for a Harris County Mayors and Councils Association meeting.
That same month council also approved a resolution authorizing a waiver to allow the consumption of beer and wine at a Friends of West U Parks event honoring former chair Joni Hruska Fichter.
“We were part of the evolution of this happening,” he said.
Kelly said the city’s new and updated facilities are a draw for residents and more people want to utilize them for parties.
Southside Place and Bellaire already have a special permit process in place to allow for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, he said.
“We’re a little behind the times on it,” Kelly said.
Parks and Recreation Director Tim O’Connor told council Monday night that the city gets a lot of requests for beer and wine but they often lose rentals because it is not permitted.
“There’s been a lot of interest,” O’Connor said.
When asked why this proposed change was coming up now, Ross said there are things coming up on the calendar, like the Music Under the Stars Outdoor Classical Concert Series, that would require the city’s concessionaire to have a special permit.
If council approves special permits for the sale and consumption of alcohol, permit holders will be required to abide by the laws of the State of Texas regarding the sale, consumption, or distribution of alcoholic beverages, including those laws that prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21, to have certified law enforcement officers on duty during the special event and to agree to indemnify the city from any and all liability.
The city has not received any feedback from residents about the proposed changes to the alcohol ordinance, but input is always welcome, Ross said.
I’ll drink to that!
Gonna be an additional burden on our Police department.
In City of Houston security officers in private events are normally off duty police hired rhough the Police Union. I hope that in our case it will be the same, thus not pulling resources from police members on duty.
It’s not during the event that is an issue. It’s the drivers after the event making the way through our city.
Does this include Wiskey etc? Where are concerned parents? Years ago, residents rid the city of 7-11 stores near the school. Believe there is or was a law stating no alcohol sold or consumed within so many yards, feet of a SCHOOL. I was educated, during the Edloe Deli and Tiny Boxwood shameful approvals, that former mayors and councils and by passed this at some time.
Years ago we could trust our Mayor and Council, to make the right decisions for the City, but that was before Developers ( Cloumbus) discovered West University (America).
By the way, why didn’t NewsWestu.com., report or investagate the flooding on College 2 weeks ago? Houses were flooded off College. Does the City own it?
Thanks,
I don’t remember the name of the convenience store across the street from the elementary school or the problem with alcohol that caused residents’ concern. However, sometime in the seventies, I found that my young son had an adult magazine. He told me he had bought it at the convenience store. I asked the management of the store about this and the gentleman said he bought them when he was young but certainly didn’t tell his mother. He said they were kept under the counter and that I was overreacting. I then read the article to him and he apologized and said they would take steps to keep it from happening again.
Unless I’ve missed all the news stories about crazy drunken party goers causing mayhem after spilling out of the events that Southside Place already allows with their similar special permit, then perhaps this is much ado about very little? If this privilege being granted in certain instances is not used judiciously, then the city will likely not grant other permits in the future (or a new city council would be voted in which would restrict it). Some of y’all are trying to conjure images of keg stands in the middle of Colonial Park and its laughable as it is so out of character with the community.
It might not be an issue of mayhem. But it is an issue of rolling through a stop sign or driving 40 mph which happens too often with sober drivers in the daytime. You think playing chicken with a Land Rover on the wrong side of the road is fun during they day? Try adding a few beers into the drivers system at 11pm with impaired visibility. It might not happen often, but there will be ripple effects. I might be a cranky old man, but people don’t follow common courtesy (much less traffic law) behind the wheel when sober, why does anyone think that the introduction of alcohol will make things better?
Oh wait, the city might be making money off of this? I forgot that our city government was a for profit business and that we don’t live in a city of homes and neighbors. [sarcasm]
So are you suggesting that people who drink further away from West U, like say in Bellaire, will be clean and sober by the time they get back to West U and therefore we will have accomplished something by keeping alcohol out of our events? Or are you suggesting that the lure of alcohol at city events will draw heavy drinkers from far afield to come to West U and it is those inebriated folks who will cause vehicular mayhem as they attempt to esacpe our catacomb of streets and stop signs?
We aren’t Introducing alcohol. Alcohol is widely available and crosses the boundaries of our fair city with ease. Whether it is served here or not is irrelevant to the point about increased traffic incidents, etc.
All I’m saying is that there will be an additional burden on our police department.
The rules concerning renting Colonial Park, Pool, Community Building or Scout House are pretty clear and place all responsibility on the West U resident who rents or sponsors a non-resident that rents. If alcohol is allowed, it should provide West U Police Officers opportunities for overtime pay to police an event. If the Recreation Center can’t be rented, there really isn’t much left that residents might prefer over private facilities with less personal liability. However, if someone leaves an event on West U property, and it is determined that alcohol is the cause of an accident; the injured party would no doubt look to the city of West U for payment, which is why the city carries insurance.
Folks-Have any of you ever actually attended Party on the Patio or the classical concerts? Many of the people who do bring along their own libations, usually in the form of wine. The only difference with this proposal is that now they can either BYO or purchase wine/beer at the event. As to allowing alcoholic refreshments at events held at one of our venues (Rec Center, CP Pool, etc), these are private parties just like ones you have in your own home. What’s the big deal?
People, let’s grow up a bit and quit bickering about the “what ifs”. Alcohol is all around us, on the streets, in the dark alleys, in the homes of parents that are out of town and leave their kids behind. It is everywhere. So far, things have been fine. Some are very blind to the fact that people already bring alcohol to these events by way of plastic bottle and covered cups. You really think they are carrying water?! Having the ability to ingest a glass of wine or enjoy a beer is a great idea. I think we are ALL grown up and can handle this very small responsibility and if we see somethine gone south, we can GET INVOLVED and then contact the police.