Another Iowa City bar faces underage drinking issues

For the second consecutive meeting, the City Council will decide next week whether to deny a downtown bar a liquor license for having too many underage drinkers.

This time, it's 808 Restaurant & Nightclub, 121 Iowa Ave.

A council policy requires the Police Department to recommend the denial of a liquor license for any establishment where underage patrons are cited for possessing alcohol at a rate greater than 1.0 per officer visit. Such a ticket, which is given to the individual and not the business, is known as a PAULA.

808 had a 12-month PAULA rate of 1.6, according to a memorandum from police Chief Sam Hargadine released Thursday.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the bar's liquor license renewal application at its meeting June 15.

Earlier this month, the council denied a liquor license renewal to Sports Column, another downtown bar, for having a high PAULA rate. It took similar action on three other bars last year.

The council's policy has been challenged by some of the bars, and a ruling from Iowa's Alcoholic Beverages Division is expected this month.

Establishments that are denied a liquor license by the city can appeal the decision to the division and keep selling alcohol in the meantime.