The City of Tampa has made city council aware of its intent to suspend the sale of alcoholic beverages at four Ybor City bars and will ask the body to hear arguments within 30 days.
The Tampa City Council clerk told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that those hearings are tentatively scheduled for Feb. 18.
Notices shared with CL show that the city intends to suspend alcohol sales at Purple Heart Bar Lounge & Grill, Prana, The Ritz and 7th+Grove.
The Jan. 13 notices come one week after the city’s threat to pursue suspension and revocation for repeat offenders of local mask and alcohol sale ordinances related to COVID-19. The city clerk must schedule a public hearing before Tampa City Council within 30 days.
The notices cite city code 27-318, which says that any suspensions issued by council would happen in a tiered format where second violations earn a 60-day suspension, third violations earn a 90-day suspension and fourth violations allow council to consider revocation.
Councilmen have been reluctant to speak on record about the suspensions. That may be because the decision will find councilmembers acting in a quasi-judicial role where they must remain impartial and listen to all evidence before making a decision.
Councilman John Dingfelder told CL that council is generally very supportive of the mayor's efforts to ensure compliance with COVID-19 social distancing rules.
"Our preference is voluntary compliance but when establishments blatantly flaunt the rules, there will be consequences," Dingfelder added.
CL has reached out to reps at The Ritz, 7th+Grove and Prana for comment.
Code enforcement has been regularly visiting businesses since mid-December when Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announced plans to crack down on businesses flouting newly-expanded COVID-19 ordinances which require that bar patrons be seated—not standing—if they want to take off their mask to eat or drink.
Initial fines for violating the ordinances that prohibit gathering on dance floors or not wearing your mask unless seated are $150. While individuals can’t be fined, businesses that don’t enforce these rules can receive a civil citation and a fine up to $500, or a second degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500.
This is a developing post.
Support local journalism in these crazy days. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you up to the minute news on how Coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. Please consider making a one time or monthly donation to help support our staff. Every little bit helps.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow @cl_tampabay on Twitter.
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2021.