Burr Ridge might get happy hours in line with state laws that were updated in 2015.
Since 2015 Illinois legalized happy hours — the selling of alcohol at a discount at specific times — for bars but Burr Ridge has yet to adopt the state law.
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That is, until Monday, when the village board agreed to reconsider the issue. The matter will likely resurface, given the general support of adopting the state’s guidelines. The local prohibition had been in agreement with a statewide probation passed in 1989 and never since updated.
During the regular meeting, Administrator Evan Walter asked to informally direct staff to reconsider local laws banning happy hours and board members seemed to agree the prohibition was out of line to the point that some restaurants are already allowing happy hours without local consent.
“They’re just doing what their neighbors are doing,” said Trustee Tony Sciappa. “Maybe not necessarily reading the liquor code.”
Trustee Al Paveza said he was a bit more circumspect and wondered if happy hours could cause problems if, say, any establishment could sell liquor cheaply for a few hours each day.
“If you have it here, it can get to be a regular event and it could cause some problems,” Paveza said. However, he didn’t say he would oppose changing the local law.
Meanwhile, other trustees said they weren’t even aware of the prohibition. Trustee Anita Mital said she wasn’t aware the state allows 15 hours of happy hours but Burr Ridge allows none at all.
And Trustee Russ Smith, long an advocate of local business, said he supports whatever helps restaurants.
“I believe it’s important that I support our restaurants here in town,” Sith said. “I don’t want to tie our restaurateurs’ hands behind their back not being able to compete with their neighbors.”
He said he would be happy to allow any local restaurant to follow neighboring guidelines and state laws allowing happy hours.