On Monday the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that will allow Seattle police officers to give out $100 citations for fighting, threatening others, or making excessive or “unreasonable noise” in public areas between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. The legislation, which was sponsored by Councilmember Nick Licata and included in Mayor McGinn’s Seattle Nightlife Initiative, aims to promote “the co-existence of residents and nightlife establishments” in Seattle’s nightlife districts.
“This bill passed because groups on all sides of this issue were willing to make compromises. The new law should address most of the behavioral problems police encounter when crowds leave the bars. It provides them with a preventive alternative to address unruly bar patrons on the sidewalks,” Licata said in the public statement.
The new ordinance will affect business districts throughout Seattle, especially those with large concentrations of bars, such as downtown, Belltown and Lower Queen Anne. It will go into effect after a legally required State Department of Ecology Review is completed, a process that may take up to 90 days. As part of the ordinance, the Chief of Police and the City Attorney will also be required to report on the action’s success in reducing nighttime disturbances in 2011.
“Undesirable behavior by patrons after they leave nightlife establishments is an ongoing concern. We now have legislation that will hold disrespectful club goers accountable, which is another proactive approach of the City’s comprehensive nightlife initiative,” Mayor McGinn said in a statement.
Given that noisy crowds can often be heard roaming around Uptown and parts of Queen Anne after closing time, it’s safe to say this ordinance will likely directly impact bar goers—and nearby residents—in the neighborhood. What do you think, Queen Anne? Do you agree with the new ordinance, or disagree, and why?