Public Safety & Welfare Committee

CITY OF VERONA MINUTES PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE COMMITTEE October 11, 2021 Verona City Hall 1. Call to order: Heather Reekie called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call: Heather Reekie and Phil Hoechst. Also present: Police Chief Bernie Coughlin, Sergeant Jesse Christensen, and City Clerk Holly Licht. Evan Touchett was absent and excused. 3. Public Comments: None 4. Approval of Minutes: Motion by Hoechst, seconded by Reekie to approve the minutes from the September 27, 2021 Public Safety and Welfare Committee meeting. Motion carried 2-0. 5. Discussion and Possible Action Re: Initial review of proposed restaurant with outdoor dining area located within the Sugar Creek Commons project Both Hoechst and Reekie agreed that the City should stick with past practices and set the closing hours for the outdoor patio to 10 p.m. Chief Coughlin stated that in the past, outdoor dining has only been allowed with a 48 inch fence surrounding the perimeter, a one-way, exit-only gate and entrance restricting from inside the building. Reekie stated that she supported the idea and wants to have more outdoor dining options available in the City. She added that if the design without the fence became an issue, the committee could address it during the renewal process. Hoechst said that he would prefer to have it be fenced in like other establishments in the City. He added is in favor of more outdoor dining for the City. He stated that if we allow this restaurant to go against previous policy, there will be many other business owners that will want to do the same. Hoechst asked the Fred DeVillers if having a fence would make or break the deal for the potential tenant. DeVillers replied that it would probably break the deal for the tenant. Police Chief Coughlin stated that he didn’t think the proposed design posed a public safety issue. He added that it would be up to the business owners and the servers to ensure that alcohol stayed within the designated area and that fencing does make that easier. Adjournment: Motion by Reekie, seconded by Hoechst to adjourn at 7:00 p.m. Motion carried 2-0. Respectfully Submitted, Holly Licht, City Clerk