While it won't take effect until next year a resolution to extend hours for bars and restaurants was unanimously approved by the Seattle City Council today. It is expected to help business as well as law enforcement if this component of the Nightlife Initiative is approved by the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB).

The idea was proposed by Mayor Mike McGinn as part of Seattle's comprehensive Nightlife Initiative , whose purpose is to maintain public safety and provide businesses with greater flexibility.

“A vibrant, safe nightlife is good for business and good for public safety,” said McGinn. “The City Council’s approval of this resolution follows a broad public outreach over the past year about how extended liquor service hours should work in Seattle. I thank the City Council, City Attorney Holmes and Chief Diaz for their work on the Nightlife Initiative. I’m confident that by working together with the Washington State Liquor Control Board, we can achieve our goals of a more safe and vibrant city.”

Council President Richard Conlin said “Extended hours of service will invigorate Seattle’s nightlife and help spur our economic recovery.”

The resolution launches a two-step process to extend service hours:

The resolution asks the LCB to build a regulatory framework to consider and approve petitions from cities to allow extended liquor service.
If these proposed rule changes are adopted, Mayor McGinn, the City Council, and the City Attorney can then work with the public to craft a specific proposal for extended hours service in Seattle.

“We believe that this initiative will strengthen public safety as well as promote a vibrant nightlife. We fully support this effort,“ said Seattle Police Chief John Diaz.

As it now stands police resources are often challenged when bars close at 2 a.m. Along with the other components of the Nightlife Initiative, this will help the City maintain public safety and use police resources more effectively.

"The City Attorney's Office will work with the Mayor, SPD and the City Council to ensure that the proposed rule changes provide comprehensive safeguards that will ensure public safety,” City Attorney Pete Holmes said. “The extended hours program will succeed if we anticipate and plan for problems that may arise."

With today’s action by the City Council, the rule change application will be submitted to the LCB in the next few weeks. The LCB has 60 days to decide whether to initiate the rule making process, Mayor McGinn hopes to have extended service hours implemented in Seattle in 2012.