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Council approves ordinance banning alcohol and smoking at Plaza 618
Summary
The La Porte City Common Council suspended rules and passed an ordinance prohibiting possession of alcoholic beverages and smoking at Plaza 618, with $100 citations for violations and exemptions for preapproved special events.
The La Porte City Common Council on Monday voted to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the possession of alcoholic beverages and smoking at Plaza 618, the downtown splash pad and plaza area.
The ordinance, read into the record by council members and passed by unanimous voice vote after suspension of the usual rules, bans possession of intoxicating alcoholic beverages in Plaza 618 except during special events preapproved by the City of La Porte Board of Public Works and makes smoking unlawful there at all times. Smoking is defined to include the inhalation or exhalation of smoke from a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or any electronic cigarette.
Under the ordinance text presented, a law-enforcement officer may order a person in violation to immediately dispose of the alcoholic beverage and may issue a citation of $100 per violation; collection procedures described in the ordinance call for payment to the city clerk-treasurer and potential court enforcement and recovery of attorney fees if necessary. The ordinance takes effect upon approval by the mayor and required publication.
Downtown business owners who addressed the council offered cautious support. Charity Laffa of Hotspot Cafe and the La Porte Small Business Coalition said she was "partially in support" because smoking and open drinking had made the plaza unpleasant and driven away customers. "Most of the people who are down there doing it don't even live here," Laffa said.
Council members discussed signage and enforcement; one council member recommended placing one sign on the Lincoln Way side and one on the Monroe side and said the police department and code enforcement had been monitoring the location. No new funding was authorized; enforcement was described as handled through existing police and code-enforcement resources.
Council members moved to suspend the rules and proceed with a second reading and final passage the same night; the motion to suspend was approved by unanimous voice vote and the ordinance passed after a second reading by title. The transcript does not record individual roll-call votes by name.
