Bar is denied license for a beer garden

Customers of a sports bar near 180th and Pacific Streets won't be imbibing outdoors in the near future.

The Douglas County Board unanimously denied the Drafthouse's request Tuesday to expand its liquor license to include an outdoor beer garden.

Mark Kroeger, the bar's owner, said he was disappointed that the expansion of his license for a 1,044-square-foot outdoor beer garden was denied.

"The beer garden was to be part of our original liquor license but was overlooked," Kroeger said. "Now we have no place for smokers when the city's smoke-free ordinance goes into effect."

Capt. Tom Wheeler of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said law officers have been called to the Drafthouse nine times in the past year.

Since it opened in April 2005, the Drafthouse has received one citation for an open container of alcohol after 1 a.m. That resulted in a five-day suspension in December, but the bar paid a fine to avoid being closed.

"I've never had more calls and e-mails than about this place," said County Board member Mary Ann Borgeson, who represents the area where the bar is located.

Residents of the nearby Ridges and Whispering Pines housing developments have sent letters and e-mails to the board complaining about the bar. Some neighbors were at Tuesday's board meeting.

Many complaints focused on the bar's 17-hour outdoor event last St. Patrick's Day. Neighbors complained of loud music, fighting, shouting, broken bottles, reckless driving, liquor license violations and people urinating on landscaping.

Kroeger said that the St. Patrick's Day revelry went "a little bit over the edge" and that he would handle the event differently in the future. Security guards have been hired for Fridays and Saturdays.

James McDowell told the board he could hear music and shouting from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. March 17 at the Drafthouse -- three blocks away from his home.

"We're concerned for our privacy, safety, children and property values in our neighborhood," McDowell said. "There are seven liquor licenses and another pending in our area."

Trudie Olsen Engel, a college professor and nearby resident, urged board members to deny the license. She read a letter opposing the license from Roxanne Wiebe, another neighbor.

Geoffrey Hall, Kroeger's attorney, said complaints are typical and will continue as residents organize against commercial growth near their neighborhood.

"We'll talk to the residents," Kroeger said, "but those people are really upset because they didn't know this area was going to be developed commercially when they moved here."