Councilmember Nowakowski imposes conditions on Chippewa commingling permit amid safety concerns

Council member Mitch Nowakowski framed a conditional approval for a special use permit affecting the Chippewa Street entertainment district, citing recent fights and safety concerns and saying the cityis spending substantial overtime to police the area.

Nowakowski said the police department reported it was "still spending $50,000 a weekend just to maintain an order of control down there," a figure he used to argue for strict permit conditions. He described a template of seven conditions that would apply to commingling events, including a requirement that the special use permit be conditioned on the submission and approval of a security plan by the Buffalo Police Department and the use of handheld or mobile identification scanners at entry.

Nowakowski said the permit would, for now, require establishments to cease operations at 11 p.m. and be subject to a 120-day review by resolution to assess whether extended hours could be restored. Councilmembers asked questions about parking-lot access for patrons and the mayoral administrations role in final approvals; Nowakowski said he would work with the administration and Buffalo Police to refine conditions and file them with the clerk.