Verdict is still out on Iowa City’s 21-only law

IOWA CITY - There's little argument that, one year in, Iowa City's so-called 21-only law has led to fewer young people being in downtown bars at night.

Still open to debate is whether the law, which bans people younger than 21 from bars after 10 p.m., has reduced underage and problem drinking or otherwise been good for the community.

“I think it was helping last fall. I don't know now. I think we're back - I don't know,” said Leah Cohen, who campaigned against the law and is the owner of Bo-James restaurant and bar downtown.

The 21-only ordinance went into effect June 1 following a vote by the City Council. Opponents got the measure on the November ballot, and after a passionate campaign, it was upheld 52 percent to 48 percent.

Opponents of the law argue it has hurt downtown businesses - namely, bars - and hasn't done much to deter young people from drinking.

Supporters say the wild nighttime bar scene has calmed. They also say that rather than being the death of downtown, as some predicted, the law presents an opportunity for more retail, office and housing uses downtown.

“The sky did not fall,” Mayor Matt Hayek said. “The community made the right decision, and I believe downtown is stronger because of it.”

Alcohol-related citations

Statistics could be used by either side to bolster its argument.

Citations by Iowa City and University of Iowa police officers were down 8 percent for underage possession of alcohol and 15 percent for public intoxication in the first 11 months of the 21-only law when compared with the same period the year before, according to an analysis of police statistics.

However, in those same time frames, citations for disorderly conduct and interference with official acts were up 10 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

A category kept by Iowa City police that includes open container, serving after hours and serving an underage person was up 35 percent. UI police citations for falsifying a drivers license and unlawful use of a drivers license increased 131 percent.

Iowa City police charges for disorderly house, which typically are for house parties, increased 92 percent.

Sgt. Denise Brotherton, spokeswoman for the Iowa City Police Department, said disorderly house citations are up because officers don't have to focus as much on downtown and there was an increased emphasis on responding to house parties after the 21-only law was enacted.

Brotherton also said assaults have decreased downtown in the past year and there are fewer extremely drunk people.

In the first four months of the 21-only law, alcohol-related emergency-room visits to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by patients ages 18 to 22 decreased 25 percent from the same time frame the year before. Newer data is not yet available.

Police believe downtown Iowa City also has become less of a destination drinking location for people from out of town. Operating while intoxicated arrests by Iowa City and UI police decreased 12 percent in the 11 months after 21-only when compared with the same period the year before.

Brotherton said an older crowd downtown late at night acts more responsibly overall.

“There's a reason why they make the drinking age the way it is, and one of the reasons it's 21 is based on maturity,” she said.

Activity shift

As a result of the law, some of the downtown bar activity has shifted to earlier in the evening.

“I've seen people go out as early as 3 o'clock just to go to the bars,” said Anthony DiFiglio, 19, who just finished his freshman year at the UI.

At 10 p.m., he said, people go to house parties.

Taylor Casey, a 21-year-old UI senior, worked for three years at the Fieldhouse, a downtown bar that recently moved to a smaller space. She said that business was down significantly after the law took effect, but that underage drinking still occurred.

“Yeah, this is one way to slightly go about (trying to fix) it,” she said. “But it's not completely nixing the problem and they're still going to try regardless.”

Police have responded to the trend of people going to bars earlier by doing bar checks earlier, Brotherton said.

Aziz Longou, co-owner of downtown bar Martini's, takes issue with people younger than 21 still being allowed in bars earlier in the night. Many young people go to those bars and then leave downtown after 10 p.m., he said.

Martini's has been a 21 bar for years and still denies entrance to underage people at all times, but its business is down since the 21-only law began, he said.

“Basically, we are missing out on that action,” Longou said. “It's not a fair playing field.”

Also, some establishments exempt from the 21-only law because they make the majority of their money from items other than alcohol have become more popular late at night than in the past. Police and students say the Airliner and Sam's Pizza are two such places.

‘Promising signs'

Whether young people are drinking less in Iowa City is hard to determine.

The UI surveys students on drinking habits, but results from a spring evaluation are not in, said UI Vice President for Student Services Tom Rocklin. He is encouraged, however, by the drop in emergency-room visits and no noticeable increase in drinking in residence halls.

“It's early to judge still, but we've seen very promising signs,” he said.

The gallons of liquor sold in Johnson County decreased 5.7 percent in the 11 months after the 21-only law went into effect when compared with the same period a year earlier, according to data from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. Statewide, that number increased by 2.5 percent.

Beer distributors that serve downtown Iowa City bars either refused comment or did not reply to messages asking about their sales.

Jason Caylor, owner of Liquor Downtown in Iowa City, said his liquor sales to bars are down 10 to 20 percent since last June, but sales are up to in-store customers, many of them college students. He also said his store is busy in the late afternoon and again after 10 p.m.

“All they've really done is change the drinking behavior,” he said.

Downtown changes

The 21-only ordinance's influence extends beyond the drinking culture. Since the law took effect, several efforts to transform downtown Iowa City have either started or gained steam.

They include: talks to add more retailers, offices and owner-occupied housing and commissioning a related study; a proposal to establish a special tax district that would fund a downtown manager; and planning for a major redevelopment of the neighborhood south of downtown.

A few downtown bars have closed recently, which could create opportunities for other businesses. Already, developer Marc Moen has bought the space long used by Vito's bar and wants a national retailer on the ground floor and possibly high-end office space above.

Mayor Hayek said while the intention of 21-only was not to shutter bars, he believes downtown is headed in the right direction.

“A number of redevelopment projects are under way,” he said. “And the economic development focus is strong.”

The UI is aiding in many of the efforts, including promises to contribute money to the downtown study and tax district, if approved. Rocklin said university leaders and students want an exciting, vital downtown.

He and others say they understand alcohol will continue to be a part of that for some students.

“What we're looking for isn't abstinence,” Rocklin said. “We're looking for more safety.”

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