Iowa City approves 21-only exceptions

Nineteen and 20-year-olds in search of live entertainment will soon be able to enter some bars at night, regardless of the outcome of next week's 21-only vote.

The City Council Tuesday night adopted two proposals dealing with bars and the 21-only law, which bans people younger than 21 from being in a bar at night. The vote on each ordinance was 6-0, with Ross Wilburn absent.

One allows bars to physically separate their spaces into alcohol-free and alcohol-allowed areas during city-approved special events like concerts.

The other would establish an “entertainment venue” designation for bars that meet certain requirements that show their main purpose is to provide live entertainment like concerts, comedy acts, or poetry or prose readings.

Bars that qualify for either would be exempt from the city's 21-only ordinance.

If 21-only is overturned in the Nov. 2 election, there would be no need for the split-venue and entertainment-venue options, so they would be automatically repealed.