Unintentional widespread drinking ban likely won’t stand

WIZM pushes city hall to change approved ordinance amendment

The intent of a new park drinking rule in La Crosse should be pretty clear: Can’t drink in a park within a thousand feet of a playground or a swimming area.

Park board president and city council member Ryan Cornett, says the intent is “to just make things safer for families and more welcoming for families, excluding the alcohol in the situations.” 

But this is what a city council committee on Tuesday approved: “No person shall have in their possession, custody or control any alcohol beverages of any kind whatsoever, within 1,000 feet of any designated playground, public swimming areas, or park property.”

Something, apparently, lost in translation between intent and what the city council committee actually approved.

We pointed out to city attorney, Stephen Matty, that the approved language actually calls for a ban on drinking within 1,000 feet of any park property.

Matty agrees with our interpretation and says that language will have to be changed in order to prevent an unintentional and widespread drinking ban in the city.  

The city website indicates that change has already been made. Those changes will have to be voted on again by the city council committee.