GrovePath wrote:
[quote]
...Want to stop the disruption to resident's lives and stop the eroding of real estate values and keep it "family friendly"? Shut the places down at Midnight. Let those who want to "party" move along to another town before they get completely sh*t-faced. If you think for a minute that a cop or two hanging around here or there will make a difference then you are deluded.

nafco wrote:
how can a place like bourbon street exist or 6 street in austin, and JC cant sustain a 2 block stretch without chaos ensuing?

why cant we have nice things like a ped plaza without issue?

i think this goes beyond just booze though maybe there is more police patrolling the other places in the world that open their streets to the public after drinking hours.

...Want to stop the disruption to resident's lives and stop the eroding of real estate values and keep it "family friendly"? Shut the places down at Midnight. Let those who want to "party" move along to another town before they get completely sh*t-faced. If you think for a minute that a cop or two hanging around here or there will make a difference then you are deluded.

135jc wrote:
Quote:

nafco wrote:
how can a place like bourbon street exist or 6 street in austin, and JC cant sustain a 2 block stretch without chaos ensuing? why cant we have nice things like a ped plaza without issue?

i think this goes beyond just booze though maybe there is more police patrolling the other places in the world that open their streets to the public after drinking hours.

How about not choosing to live on or near a street riddled with restaurants?

CandiceOsborne wrote:
Just to clarify a few things:

1. Always: My office has always asked and continues to ask for greater on-duty enforcement all over downtown, including specifically at this location. Last year with grant money we were able to give some dedicated coverage, but not always.

2. Last summer: We have been asked by police to put in a business curfew (I said no)

3. Last summer: We have been asked by neighborhood to revise the restaurant overlay to remove allowed density of licenses in in SID (I said no)

4. Last summer: The PM for the plaza suggested mandatory security guards on the plaza in each business (I said hold & let?s discuss first with businesses)

5. Last fall: We met with businesses last fall and highlighted the issues coming from multiple sources and asked for ideas to show a partnership given how bad the other options seemed. I threw out an idea ?maybe you could pool your money and share the cost of an off-duty officer - that would be cheaper than being compelled to hire a doorman?. Overall it seemed to be viewed relatively favorably as an alternative to #4 above. When the conversation moved to ?how? to break up costs (via SID vs. not via SID, all businesses vs. all businesses with liquor license vs. all business on plaza vs. all business with liquor license on plaza ? we adjourned the meeting and said this really was their job to figure out how they want to structure as it is voluntary, but that I would ask to continue to hold off on #4 if they could come up with a way to help resolve some of the issues caused by the benefits they have received over the years (ability to have high density of liquor licenses, ability to remain open later, ability to have a pedestrian plaza, and ability to serve on the pedestrian plaza).

6. This winter: No progress made

7. Last week: We met again, still no progress made. We re-hashed 1-5, again. I asked who supported a curfew, 0 people raised their hands. I asked who wanted to remove restaurant row, 0 people raised their hands. I asked who wanted to get rid of the plaza, 1 person raised her hand. I asked who wanted mandatory security guards on the plaza, about 1/3 raised their hands. I asked who wanted to do something with off-duty, about 1/2 raised their hands.)

In short:
- this is a voluntary action, can be taken or not. I merely suggested it as an idea that seemed a lot better than some of the others I had heard during a brainstorming conversation last fall.

- this can be paid for however they want as it is voluntary (among all 200 businesses, among 32 liquor license holders who've benefited from the restaurant overlay zone or only amongst those on the plaza itself)

- BIDs/SIDs/NIDs often fund supplemental safety services

- I continue to hope to find ways to get on duty officers assigned


IMO, it is in the business interest to show some concern and good faith action to solve issues their establishments are creating in the neighborhood they operate in, especially since the city has given them benefits in the form of the ability to have liquor license density, later night hours, the plaza itself and ability to extend the sidewalk cafe onto the plaza. If they don't that is their decision. They need to realize though I will not be inclined to run interference when people try to solve the issues via other means.

I am HAPPY to hear other ideas that are actionable and realistic.
So, if you have ideas feel free to email me (won't be getting into a back and forth with anonymous folks.)

nafco wrote:
how can a place like bourbon street exist or 6 street in austin, and JC cant sustain a 2 block stretch without chaos ensuing? why cant we have nice things like a ped plaza without issue?

i think this goes beyond just booze though maybe there is more police patrolling the other places in the world that open their streets to the public after drinking hours.

Pinkf222 wrote:
The fundraisers/scammers are there every night, always harassing people asking for money. If they want to raise money, why not set up a table and people can approach them? That seems much more legitimate and much less annoying than the constant questioning I get every night on my way home from work.

K-Lo2 wrote:
They actually were from Penn State. Canning for THON 2017....raising money for pediatric cancer patients and family support.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/cam ... e6-a89f-8b41fc0a2f94.html

vindication15 wrote:
Bars are responsible for people they serve alcohol to and then go on to show anti-social behavior? Really?

Two Boots Pizza owner Aaron Morrill described the required taxes and fees for businesses as "death by a thousand cuts." Evelyn Padin, a lawyer who also owns the Hard Grove Cafe, said she already pays for a sidewalk cafe license, a liquor license and for private garbage collection.

"It's constant paying," Padin said.

iGreg wrote:
Quote:

nafco wrote:
how can a place like bourbon street exist or 6 street in austin, and JC cant sustain a 2 block stretch without chaos ensuing? why cant we have nice things like a ped plaza without issue?

i think this goes beyond just booze though maybe there is more police patrolling the other places in the world that open their streets to the public after drinking hours.

Police are present in those locations Fam.

DTJC is pretty serene except for some pissy drunks.

nafco wrote:
how can a place like bourbon street exist or 6 street in austin, and JC cant sustain a 2 block stretch without chaos ensuing? why cant we have nice things like a ped plaza without issue?

i think this goes beyond just booze though maybe there is more police patrolling the other places in the world that open their streets to the public after drinking hours.

ecoindie wrote:
However, this applies to all of Downtown not just Bars. No police for you!

As the Councilwoman stated "East District has been often running at minimum staffing levels (which doesn't provide for consistent visible presence. With retirements and new officers coming out of academy, they go to South & West Districts."