Fiscal Note
No significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
In 2017 and 2018, the City of Madison saw numerous alcohol-related incidents on the 600 block of University Avenue. These incidents led then-Mayor Paul Soglin to propose a moratorium on alcohol licenses for a select downtown area. The Common Council did not adopt this moratorium, but did commission the Finance Department and Public Health Madison Dane County to examine the density of alcohol licenses throughout Madison, and to determine if there is any relationship between alcohol license density and public service utilization.
On October 18, 2019, the Finance Department and Public Health Madison Dane County published the results of this study, available under Legistar File 57375. The study measured density by Census block group, finding dense areas downtown and in the City's retail centers (such as East Towne, West Towne, and Hilldale). The study utilized data from Madison Police Department, Madison Fire Department, and Building Inspection to determine the relationship between density level of alcohol outlets and calls for service, controlling for differences between Census block groups including total population, percent employed, and percent poverty. The study found that higher levels of police calls for service and Building Inspection cases are associated with higher levels of alcohol outlet density, but Madison Fire Department calls are not. While the study did not make recommendations, it highlighted key areas of discussion including the need for data collection improvements to better understand alcohol license capacity in the City, as well as best practices from other municipalities in addressing alcohol outlet density.
Title
Amending Sections 28.127(1)(a) and (2), repealing Sections 28.127(3) and (4) of the Madison General Ordinances to expand the Alcohol Overlay District, remove the requirement that there be an annual review, and remove the previous sunset provision.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This ordinance amends Section 28.127 of the Madison General Ordinances, the Alcohol Overlay District, to expand the boundaries of the district. This ordinance also removes the requirement that there be an annual review by the Alcohol Policy Coordinator. This ordinance removes the previous sunset provision, which required the Common Council to renew the Alcohol Overlay District after five (5) years. Finally, this ordinance adds Incidental Alcohol Sales as defined in Section 28.211 of the Madison General Ordinances to the list of permitted uses in the Alcohol Overlay District.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Please see "Body" in Attachments.