Gregg Hennigan, CR Gazette –
IOWA CITY – The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to tweak Iowa City’s 21-only law.
The goal is to keep bars from skirting the intent of the law by getting food-related exemptions or a six-month exemption for being a new establishment.
Among the new provisions are establishing a financial auditing process for places seeking exemptions and allowing no more than one temporary six-month exemption for the sale of a business at the same location or by the same applicant in a three-year period.
Also, establishments with exemptions from the law must have a PAULA ratio of 0.25 or less per police officer visit, based on at least 10 bar checks. A PAULA is a citation for a possession of alcohol under the legal age.
The 21-only law bans people younger than 21 from being in places with liquor licenses after 10 p.m.