In what some residents are calling a “band-aid tactic” and others are praising, the village has decided to barricade Burkhardt Court at Madison Street on Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 9 p.m.
The move is an attempt to prevent “large, disruptive crowds in the neighborhoods near Madison Street,” as described in a letter to residents living in the area of Burkhardt Court and Warren Avenue.
The letter, distributed last week, indicated that village officials expect problem behavior related to the bars on Madison Street to increase as weather warms up.
“We believe the situation will become worse as the spring and summer continue,” reads the notice.
The notice states the solution is “temporary,” but if it works more permanent solutions will be considered.
“Residents are encouraged to use the alleys or if necessary travel on Warren in the wrong direction to access their homes,” directs the notice.
According to an email from Mayor Rory Hoskins on April 10, the decision was “driven by staff, including the police department in response to numerous calls and emails from residents in the Burkhardt-Warren area about illegal parking on that very narrow street. There are also reports of persons essentially ‘tailgating’ at unreasonable hours around the times that bars are closing.”
Hoskins added: “It’s not permanent. Our intent is to deter non-resident vehicle traffic and to ease the nerves of residents who are on edge for various reasons.”
This move is the latest in the village’s attempts to curb problems with unruly bar patrons and potentially cut down on violence in the streets.
Already, the village has announced it is looking into hiring part-time police officers to help patrol, especially during the overnight weekend hours. Additionally, plans are in place to target property owners, not just the bar owners that in some cases are renting space for their pubs, under the nuisance property guidelines already in place in village code.
