The Storm Lake City Council this week held a work session to discuss the possibility of adding an ordinance that would establish regulations for after-hours businesses that allow alcohol consumption beyond 2am.
Police Chief Chris Cole said an ordinance is needed. Cole said this is not a problem unique to Storm Lake, as other cities have had similar problems…
Chief Cole said the department has received an increase in calls to these types of incidents in recent years, and said it’s escalated to a point where it’s unsafe for the patrons in the establishments, the officers who respond, and for the community in general. Cole broke down numbers over the last five years…
Cole said the proposed ordinance mirrors other cities that have had similar issues…
Cole said the ordinance would allow officers to go into the establishments and monitor a situation before a problem gets out of hand.
A public hearing is expected to be held on the ordinance at the next council meeting on April 15th. The council would then have to approve three readings of the ordinance for passage.
