Aurora a step closer to toughening liquor code

Just in time for the summer drinking season, Aurora aldermen are poised to add some teeth to the city's liquor ordinance.

During Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting, aldermen preliminarily approved a series of changes to the code, including the addition of a one-year probationary period for new liquor licensees, required state certification of all liquor sellers and servers and increased seating restrictions for taverns.

City Clerk Cheryl Vonhoff said each of the city's 170 license holders received the proposed changes in April and that further amendments were made based on conversations had with several licensees.

Vonhoff listed the probation and state certification as significant changes.

"What we propose to do is establish a probationer period of one year for any new liquor license that would allow the liquor commissioner (Mayor Tom Weisner) to hold a hearing for that licensee and depending on the severity of the violation, the license can be revoked after the hearing instead of having progressive discipline," she said.

Some potential changes to the ordinance have also been included to present improved aesthetics in the downtown.

According to the amended ordinance, in the downtown, dining tables and chairs must be placed within five feet of the exterior windows and doors visible to pedestrians on the sidewalk adjacent to the property to screen dancing and lounge activity.

This would allow a better looking atmosphere from the street. Also, there is a minimum seating requirement and they would have adhere to it at all times," Vonhoff said. "They can't be moving tables and chairs to make their dance floor bigger."

Other proposed changes require any servers or sellers be state certified within 90 days of hire and prohibition of possessing open alcohol in public.

Aldermen will vote on the new liquor code at the June 8 meeting of the city council.