An announcement from Madison's District 6 Alder, Marsha Rummel, has been posted on neighborhood listserves:

"January 8 neighborhood meeting at 7:15p @ Wil-Mar for Canopy liquor license application at 924 Williamson St:

Dear Neighbor,

Please join me for a neighborhood meeting where we will hear about Austin Carl’s proposal to open Canopy at 924 Williamson Street, formerly Prism, and his application for a Visual & Performing Arts License and a Class B Liquor & Beer License.  Canopy would be a coffee shop with food service during the day and a bar/nightclub with live entertainment such as bands and DJs at night.  Mr. Carl also plans to remodel the upstairs into a classroom area where people could take dance, fitness, and other classes.  He also intends to add an outside patio.  The estimated capacity of the establishment is 375, and the proposed hours of operations are 8am-12am Sunday through Tuesday; 8am-1am on Wednesday; and 8am-2am Thursday-Saturday.  The Alcohol License Review Committee will consider his application at its January 15 meeting.  The proposal will also require a Conditional Use Permit due to the use as a nightclub.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020 - 7:15 p.m. Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Yahara Room - 953 Jenifer Street

I look forward to seeing you on the 8th.

Marsha Rummel Alderperson, Sixth District district6@cityofmadison.com 608-772-4555"

Wisconsin admittedly has an outmoded and very frustrating system of regulations affecting nearly everyone involved in making and selling alcohol. Everyone seems to make money, but it does seem unfair that distributors are required to be middlemen in between producers and vendors, regardless of what is practical or logical. The current regulations have been around since prohibition, and you can get a very good overview from WPR.org here: www.wpr.org/history-politics-shape-wisconsins-alcohol-laws 

Here's where things get complicated: Industry groups and leaders in the state legislature (i.e. Republicans) are working to re-write those 100-year-old statutes in ways that are more 'fair' to each party. Sounds good, right? Well, the one group that is not sitting at the table when the laws are being discussed are consumer protection groups, doctors, mayors and public health officials. Why should they? Simply put, these stakeholders are the ones who have to pick up the tab for an industry that for its entire history has worked to oppose common sense approaches to reduce the harm of alcohol.  Does the industry support increasing taxes, some of which have not increased since the 1960's? No. Do they support interlock ignition systems to prevent drunk driving, like the ones supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving? No.  Do they support penalties and fines for taverns that over-serve patrons? No. Do they support alcohol outlet bans? No. Wisconsin taxpayers and communities are paying, literally, for the financial, health and safety costs of widespread alcohol availability and that is not expected to change anytime soon. 

Ok, ok. Enough opining on my part. You can read about it yourself below. And ask your city and state officials what they think while you're at it.

More info: madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/proposal-in-the-works-to-change-wisconsin-alcoholic-beverage-enforcement/article_da9cea22-098b-5bcb-9ec1-8c3e8921cc8e.html

In what will be a very important discussion, the Alcohol License and Review Committee will be meeting at 5:30 pm this Wednesday in the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd (Rm  201 CCB).  According to Alder Marsha Rummel, the topics will include:

"58134 Discussion as a Result of Alcohol Density Study • Handling of capacity numbers for alcohol licensees. • Discuss City staffing resources related to issuance, monitoring, and enforcement activities associated with Alcohol Licenses. • Policy for high density areas anywhere in the city (not just in the current overlay district). • Discussion and potential adoption of recommendations to the Common Council arising from the results of the Density Study and related aspects of Alcohol licensing and monitoring."

Please consider attending and adding your comments to the discussion!

For more information visit: madison.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=7961009&GUID=E7BC5603-FA2C-4A0C-A545-80DF9DD366FE