Rock Island City Council considers time limits for downtown liquor sales

The Rock Island City Council moved forward Monday to expand restrictions on alcohol sales in more parts of the city. Council members approved the ordinance's first reading.

Alderman Dylan Parker said he believes the ordinance would cut down public intoxication and litter in the downtown. Convenience and liquor stores in the green area on the map below are currently restricted to selling or advertising alcohol from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The area in blue is where city council could expand those limits.

"My constituents, the people of Rock Island, want a place they can be proud of, they feel safe and comfortable and want to invest in," said Parker, who represents the Fifth Ward. "A place the entire community can enjoy. When somebody is sitting there, drinking out of a brown paper bag on the street corner, people don't feel that way."

One business owner spoke against the regulations.

"That, that's going to cripple our business," he said. "A lot of the stuff that we sell for a couple of dollars we're making anything but a couple of cents on the dollar. The liquor is the one thing we rely on to pay our bills."

The city's mayor, Ashley Harris, says the time restriction can't be the same throughout the week.

"When those weekends roll around, when the sporting events come on, that start during the day, the people that live downtown have to leave downtown just to get a beer," said Harris.

Alderman Glen Evans believes the restrictions go too far, and limit only specific vendors.

"I think right now the decisions and the choices we're making is an overreach when it comes to being business friendly," said Evans, who represents the First Ward. "Saying we want to take the burden off the residents based on the taxes, as we're adding more stipulations to the people generating those taxes."

But Alderman Jenni Swanson says restaurants and bars have oversight that convenience and liquor stores don't. "You consume it there, and therefore the bar owner has control over the patrons that are there," said Swanson.

The changes still need to pass on a second reading.

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