Council looks toward park beer, wine events in parks

The Kalispell City Council is moving forward with draft legislation to permit special events with beer or wine in at least some city parks and other public properties.

Details are scarce for now. But that was the decision made on Monday, a month after council members granted a one-time exception for the Craft Brewers Cup Hockey Challenge and Brewfest at the ice rink in Woodland Park.

The March 1-2 event was meant to be a test case.

“It went as planned,” City Manager Doug Russell told the City Council. “They had a successful fundraising event and there were no negative events reported from parks, police or the community.”

Involving the Montana Brewers Association and craft brewers from all over Montana, the hockey tournament raised more than $10,000 after expenses for the Flathead Valley Hockey Association to pay down its mortgage for the ice rink, said Kim Morisaki, the nonprofit group’s president.

“We had around 300 spectators and players,” Morisaki told the council. “It was just a terrific event and we would like to request you to allow us to do it again next year.”  

Kalispell allows events with beer or wine consumption at several public properties with only written notice to the city manager. Those include the Hockaday Museum of Art, Conrad Mansion, Museum at Central School, Kalispell City Airport and the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce building.

Events with beer or wine sales are allowed at those places with a permit from the city manager. That requires buying adequate insurance coverage and working out various security and safety details in advance with city officials.

Municipal code prohibits alcohol in city parks.

Russell and Kalispell Parks and Recreation Director Mike Baker advised the City Council to consider building on the existing permit process by adding specific locations where special events with beer or wine consumption or sales would be allowed. Exactly what locations will materialize in the draft legislation remain to be seen.

Kalispell has not seen many requests for special events with alcohol. But that could quickly change if restrictions are loosened, City Attorney Charlie Harball said.

“I think this is going to open the gates so you can expect more,” Harball said. “One thing we get a lot of requests for are street parties, requests to close off the street with alcohol, which we’ve said ‘no’ to. If you open those up you’ll get quite a few more of those. Depot Park and Woodland Park are requested. Expect some from Lawrence Park.”

Council member Bob Hafferman said he would want to see all such permits come before the City Council for approval. He noted he probably would have voted against something such as the Craft Brewers Cup Hockey Challenge and Brewfest if the event was going the be held during the summer when Woodland Park is much more heavily used.

“When dealing with something as touchy as alcohol, there better be some responsibility indicated by the council, and not just throwing the issue onto the city manager. That’s a public concern of everybody and they want to know how the council votes, not the city manager,” he said.

Other council members suggested that with a clear enough policy in place, the permits would be better — and possibly more fairly — handled by the city manager and other city staffers.

“If we are concerned with uniformity, bringing it before nine people is not the way to do it. It gets fairly whimsical sometimes having nine people make a decision after staff looked at it,” council member Randy Kenyon said. “If we can establish sound policy, I don’t see why staff couldn’t handle it.”

Council member Jeff Zauner proposed that any challenges or appeals related to a requested permit could come before city council for consideration.

Council member Kari Gabriel said one thing most important to her is that alcohol is allowed only in clearly fenced areas and kept out of the hands of anyone under legal drinking age.

“I’m adamant about the area being roped off and separated and not opening this up for things like reunions and weddings,” Gabriel said. “That’s not what this is for. This is more for special events, fundraising, not a free-for-all for a party.”

City staffers have reviewed similar ordinances in other Montana cities including Missoula and Helena and will bring several alternatives back for the city council’s consideration at a future meeting.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.