Alcohol consumption nowallowed at League City parks CITY&COUNTY News from League City
League City City Council will meet at 6 p.m. April 26 and May 10 at League City Council Chambers, 200 W. Walker St., League City. Meetings are streamed at www.facebook.com/ leaguecitytexas. MEETINGSWE COVER coming months. Phillips has carved hundreds of trees and now does it for a living, he said. After Hurricane Ike, he took fallen trees and carved several of them into works of art, which is how his art career began. CITY HIGHLIGHTS LEAGUE CITY Two diseased, century-old oak trees in League Park were cut down in March, but they will be repurposed into art. Clear Lake resident Jimmy Phillips has been hired to carve the wood into sculptures. One chunk of wood in front of Helen Hall Library will be a carving of a child sitting and reading with a dog named Scout, who was the dog of League City founder J. C. League. Another carving at Hometown Heroes Park is of a 6-foot firefighter holding Scout. Another piece of wood will become a train conductor at League Park, and the design of the fourth piece of wood—also located at Hometown Heroes Park—residents will be able to vote on in the
BY JAKE MAGEE
law. One resident, however, voiced opposition to the ordinance change, saying it may cause residents to become belligerent and start harass- ing other park users. Council Member Hank Dugie, who sponsored the ordinance change com- ing before City Council, said he trusts residents to use alcohol in the parks responsibly and that there are already laws in place to stop “bad actors.” “Taxpayers should not have to ask permission to use taxpayer-funded parks responsibly,” he said. Mayor Pat Hallisey also opposed the ordinance change. He said while some council members wanted to change the ordinance to give residents more liberty, that liberty cannot come at the expense of others’ rights. Hallisey opposed the ordinance change because he is not worried about the residents who responsibly drink at parks but those who do not, he said. “Rules are for responsible people,” Hallisey said.
DRINK DEBATE League City City Council debated allowing alcohol in parks over two meetings. MARCH8 First reading of ordinance allowing alcohol consumption in parks approved. MARCH22
LEAGUE CITY After another debate, League City City Council on March 22 approved the second reading of an ordinance change that will allow alcohol consumption at most city parks without a permit. City Council approved the first reading March 8. A second reading and approval was necessary to make the ordinance change official. The ordinance change does not apply to Hometown Heroes Park, Lobit Park and the Chester L. Davis Sportsplex, which are parks primarily for kids. A few residents spoke about the ordinance. One was former Council Member Greg Gripon, who said under existing League City ordinances, it is illegal for friends to have wine during a barbecue or fishers to drink beer at city parks. Gripon said those things should be legal and favored the ordinance change. Another resident also voiced support, saying these activities are happening anyway regardless of the
Second and final reading approved with 6-2 vote.
Council Member Larry Millican reiterated his point fromMarch 8 that residents should be polled and engaged on this change before it takes effect. Mayor Pro Tem Nick Long said he has concerns and can see both points of view but that he prefers to change the ordinance now and see how it goes. Long said he would help change the ordinance again if problems arise. The ordinance change passed 6-2 with Hallisey and Millican against.
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