As the Mifflin Street Block Party quickly approaches at the end of April, a proposal that would temporarily ban carrying glass containers on streets in the area is making its way through Madison’s legislative body.
The ordinance, approved Wednesday by a city committee, establishes parts of West Mifflin Street, North Bassett Street and North Bedford Street as glass-free zones for 24 hours beginning at 6 a.m. on April 29.
For some, the rule also determines where the Mifflin Block Party falls on the calendar.
After the city stopped sanctioning the event, there was confusion among students and officials about what weekend it would take place, according to City Council President Mike Verveer.
“Ever since that, it’s the glass ban resolution that sets the date of [the Mifflin Street Block Party],” Verveer said.
Madison Police Department Assistant Chief Victor Wahl said the ordinance is helpful, but not a focus for law enforcement anymore.
“The enforcement philosophy has changed some from year to year, from sort of being really pro-arrest to being more an indication,” Wahl said. “Because we have such a long record of a glass ban, we haven’t had to do a lot of enforcement of this.”
The city started the rule for the Mifflin Block Party over a decade ago.
“Before, there were piles of glass bottles ending up in the street,” Verveer said. “It made for a hazardous mess.”
The ordinance is expected to easily pass Tuesday at a Common Council meeting.
