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Hot Springs council reviews alcohol ban in parks, keeps current limits for now
Summary
Councilors reviewed Ordinance 92-12 and the existing Brookside Park exception passed in 2020 but did not move to expand park-wide prohibitions on alcohol consumption.
At its August meeting, the Hot Springs City Council discussed whether the city should expand restrictions on possession, use or consumption of alcoholic beverages in public parks beyond an existing Brookside Park ban, and for now indicated no ordinance change was needed.
The issue was raised as a discussion-only item to review Ordinance 92-12 and whether the council should consider additional factors when approving temporary alcoholic beverage licenses for events in parks. Council members stressed they had not seen evidence of widespread problems outside Brookside Park and did not advance any ordinance amendments.
Alderman William Lukens outlined why Brookside Park was treated differently when the city acted in 2020. He said the ordinance was adopted after then-Chief of Police Mike Close asked the city to prohibit all types of alcoholic beverages in Brookside Park because people were drinking near the river, leaving broken glass and litter, and families perceived the park to be unsafe. Lukens described the rationale: “By prohibiting all consumption ... that gave [police] ordinance authority to take action with that individual,” which he said reduced problems at that location.
Council members noted that temporary alcoholic beverage licenses typically are issued for community or fundraising events, and several said they had not received reports from police or committee meetings that would justify extending park-wide prohibitions. One council member emphasized the value of fundraising events — citing the Rotary Club’s work on shelters and parks — as a reason to preserve the current licensing process.
City staff summarized that the existing ordinance and the Brookside Park exception remain in place and that any future change would be brought back to council for formal consideration. No motion to amend Ordinance 92-12 was made during the meeting.
The discussion-only item concluded with council members saying they would revisit the subject if specific problems arise or if staff brings further information to justify a change.
