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Bars and restaurants in Forest Park will no longer have to wait for village council meetings to get approval for internal events.
The Forest Park Village Committee voted unanimously on October 24 to revise the municipal regulations, placing the approval of recreational licenses under the responsibility of the village administrators. If the village chief rejects the application, the applicant can appeal to the village committee.
In 2021, the village council took a more hands-on approach to entertainment permits amid concerns over brutality at some Madison Street bars. At one point, the council suspended events as it tried to sort out the legal requirements. Since then, however, concerns have subsided, with several commissioners arguing that close council oversight is no longer necessary.
The village has long required liquor license holders who want to “sponsor, conduct or permit recreational activities” to apply for an entertainment license. The rule is rarely enforced until mid-2021. The village committee suspended the issuance of entertainment permits to give the village time to update the language. The ban expired before any changes were passed, but the council did approve the updated language on October 12, 2021, and a few other changes have been made in recent months.
The village council has retained a rule requiring all indoor entertainment to cease no later than 11 p.m. and banning entertainment at sidewalk cafes. Permits are still only valid for one month – but now, because they are not tied to council meetings held on the second and fourth Monday of each month, the village can respond more quickly.
While the council plans to consider two entertainment licenses – one for private events at Exit Strategy Brewing at 7700 Madison Street and one for evening music accompaniment to DJs at Fiore Pizzeria and Bakery at 7407 Madison Street — but the commissioners agreed to let the village chief, Moses Armidy, deal with them.
When the ordinance went to vote, Commissioner Ryan Nero, who had urged Mayor Rory Hoskins to expedite action on recreational licensing regulations, went out of his way to explain exactly what the changes meant, and asked him if he understood correctly.
“Yes, thanks to your constant prompting,” replied the mayor.
“Thank you for the clarification,” Nero responded.
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