Since the Iowa City City Council voted to deny the liquor licenses of two downtown businesses, confusion has surfaced about a new city ordinance that requires new bars to be built at least 500 feet apart downtown.

The Daily Iowan sat down with the city’s code enforcement assistant, Jann Ream, to figure how the new rule will come into play when bars face losing their licenses.

What is the 500-foot rule?

An amendment to the city’s zoning code that changed the criteria of what makes a “drinking establishment” and an “eating establishment” and requires new bars that enter downtown be built at least 500 feet from another one.

What is a “drinking establishment?”

A business that is licensed by the state to sell alcohol and is open on a regular basis at any time between the hours of midnight and 2 a.m.

What is the goal of the ordinance?

To eventually decrease the number of bars downtown and create a more diverse business area.

What would happen to a bar if the state denied its liquor license for six months?

The space would remain vacant until it could resume business and would remain unaffected by the zoning ordinance.

How about a year?

The space would have to abide by the 500-foot ordinance. This means it could never reopen as a bar if it sits within 500 feet of another one.

Is this likely to happen?

No. Owners would likely sell their business if they needed to close for a year. If the new owners keep it a drinking establishment, it would not be affected by the 500-foot ordinance.

Then how would the number of bars downtown ever decrease?

If someone buys a business considered to be a drinking establishment and switches it to be just an eating establishment — closing it before midnight — the space could never again be a bar, which would eventually reduce the number overall.