St. Pete moves a step closer to adding regulations for bars
ST. PETERSBURG — The City Council moved a step closer Monday to requiring bars to get a special permit to serve alcohol after midnight.
While several council members and Mayor Bill Foster admitted that only a few bars cause trouble, the council voted 4-2 to move the proposal to a final vote on Dec. 6. Council members Leslie Curran and Wengay Newton voted no. (Bill Dudley and Steve Kornell were absent.)
The Police Department needs help controlling crowds and crime in some bars, Foster said. He said he doesn’t want a few clubs to tarnish the image of downtown.
In the draft revised Monday night, city lawyers will now explore adding a requirement that bar owners be placed on probation rather than losing their license to serve alcohol past midnight…visit the Tampa Bay Times to read more.