New LH Alcohol Ordinance Official
By Scott Johnson
LOCK HAVEN – The city has a new alcohol ordinance, and will soon have a new noise ordinance, a new planner and its first director of community life.
At its meeting Monday night, council, on a 6-1 vote, officially enacted an ordinance regarding the city’s policy on open containers. Council member Steve Stevenson voted against.
The move paves the way for organizations to host outdoor events where alcoholic beverages may be legally consumed. City council would have the final say as to whether events allowing open containers would be permitted. Stevenson said the city should leave the law as is, in effect saying “no to everybody.”
“It’s not for us to pick and choose which organizations and events are allowed or prohibited,” Stevenson said. He added he was at the Bloomsburg Block Party last weekend and said the alcohol consumption was not contained within clearly defined areas. Further, he said, State College has had problems in the past with the Penn State students annual State Patty’s Day Festival to the point where that borough now pays establishments to close for the weekend or stop alcoholic sales.
It was noted the requests in Lock Haven must still meet state Liquor Control Board guidelines, applicable areas clearly marked “no alcohol beyond this point.”
Further, after two delays, City Council passed on first reading a new noise ordinance. The vote was 5-2 with Councilmen Joel Long and Bill Mincer voting against.
According to the preliminary ordinance, a 50-foot buffer should be put in place from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for city police to make a judgment that noise was too loud. At night time the judgment would be made from beyond the property line of the noise source. No decibel-level equipment will be used.
Council vice-president Joel Long said after the meeting, his “no” vote was due to the lack of a decibel meter. The ordinance puts in writing the applicable city response. A first offense calls for a fine up to $600. Council is to take a second and final reading of the ordinance at its meeting on May 6.
Regarding the city planner position, City Manager Greg Wilson said Abby Rogers has been selected as the new planner, beginning on June 10. He said Rogers is nearing her graduation from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and will have a degree in planning and has experience with planning in the Indiana (Pa.) area. “She will bring new talents we haven’t traditionally used in development,” Wilson said.
Also Wilson said, Kasey Campbell, currently Downtown Lock Haven Inc. manager has been selected as the newly-formed position of director of community life. Campbell will begin her new duties next Monday. Downtown Lock Haven Inc. President Bob Rolley said his organization will move forward in replacing Campbell at a special meeting Tuesday morning.
