Hammond considers alcohol permits
HAMMOND — Police Chief Roddy Devall, in what he termed an effort to curtail after-hours consumption of alcoholic beverages, asked the Hammond City Council on Tuesday to consider rewriting its ordinances regarding the sale of liquor in businesses that are primarily designated as restaurants.
Devall’s comments came as the council was considering its annual approval of High and Low Alcohol Permits for the 2013 calendar year. Devall asked City Attorney Andre Coudrain if existing ordinances can be changed so that establishments doing business as restaurants and selling alcohol can be required to close at a specific time. Further, the chief suggested that all businesses holding a permit to sell alcohol be given a set limit of violations in a calendar year.
The first of two resolutions on the council’s agenda would have granted conditional approval for the sale of alcohol at Your Mom’s Bar and Grill, a downtown establishment where Devall said his department has had to respond to several complaints. A second resolution would have allowed all establishments in the city currently holding alcohol sale permits to continue to do so for the 2013 year.
Current city ordinances require that a restaurant holding a permit to sell liquor must derive 60 percent of its profit from food sales and 40 percent from alcohol sales. On the advice of city Permit Director Jinnie Wilson, the council tabled both resolutions. The matter will be on the Nov. 5 agenda.
Other business items Tuesday included the following:
ZEMURRAY PARK WORK COMPLETE: The council approved a resolution accepting as substantially complete a $500,000 project that has rehabilitated the pond in Zemurray Park. The pond was emptied, cleared of debris and deepened and bulkheads were installed, along with other improvements.
Hammond Director of Grants Lacey Landrum said the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will restock the pond once it has filled to its natural level and has become what she termed ‘acclimated.”
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS: The council approved a contract with Richard Price Construction for improvements to the city’s drainage system for fiscal year 2013.
City Engineer Chuck Spangler said drainage improvements will include replacing pipe on Rue Cannes in Villa West subdivision. Residents complained to the council about sinkholes caused by deteriorated pipes.