Lower Burrell nixes idea for alcohol at city parks events

Lower Burrell is scrapping plans to allow alcohol at city park events — at least for now.

The proposal, according to City Manager Greg Primm, would have required alcohol vendors to be state-licensed and offer only Pennsylvania-made alcoholic products. It would have established a formal permitting system and operational rules for food trucks that wanted to serve alcohol in the city.

The city’s parks committee was eyeing the ordinance for its Music in the Parks summer series held monthly at Burrell Lake Park, and a new music event called “Kick it at Kotecki” in July.

The proposal was tabled when Councilman Mike Stanoski, who first introduced it, indicated he would vote against it at this week’s council meeting.

“The benefits do not outweigh the risks,” he said. “I know the parks and recreation committee, which I’m involved with, sees the need and the benefits of this, which I understand.

“But I was elected to be a voice of all in this community and, right now, my vote is no.”

Stanoski said he agreed with police Chief John Marhefka, who opposes the idea. Marhefka said festivities in the city are flourishing without alcohol, and that allowing it to be served would send a bad message.

Marhefka thinks approving the ordinance would open the door to people bringing their own alcohol to events, causing problems and pulling resources from the police department.

“Our police department does a good job of keeping the bad element out of Lower Burrell — occasionally it does creep in — but I think this is going to be one of the things that will act as a magnet to bring the bad element in,” Marhefka said.

Primm said food trucks can serve alcohol in the city, but not in the parks. They would still be allowed to do that even if this proposal didn’t get approved, Primm said.

An example would be if one of the city’s fire departments holds a food truck event at which properly licensed trucks serve alcohol.

Asked if there have been problems with alcohol and food trucks elsewhere in the city, Marhefka said no, “but we haven’t had it at a park setting.”

Primm said the proposal would have required all alcohol vendors and food trucks to obtain a permit from the city to operate at public events or on city property. It also would have limited alcohol sales to within designated, roped-off areas approved by the city and banned operations during youth activities in parks without explicit city approval.

Permits and operations would have been enforced by the city manager, zoning officer, code enforcement and police department and subject to state police and Liquor Control Board enforcement, Primm said.

Had the proposal advanced Monday, it would have gone for a final vote May 12.

Debbie Kurtik, parks commission secretary, said she thought the proposal was a good idea.

It would have only been for the Music in the Parks series and the upcoming “Kick it at Kotecki” concert. She believed allowing alcohol in parks and regulating it would draw more people into town, enhance the events and not cause issues among attendees.

“Are people going to come to Kick it at Kotecki, or are they going down to Fridays on Fifth? (in New Kensington),” she said. “They’re going to go down there, where they can listen to music, have an alcoholic beverage, have some food from the food truck, (and) enjoy their friends. It’s just the way of the world right now.

“It’s really disappointing if we can’t be responsible citizens and have a beer or two at a park during a music event.”