ORLANDO, Fla. – Staggering numbers from a new survey said a majority of people do not feel safe in downtown Orlando at night.
That’s according to a survey done by City District. Read the survey results here.
Wednesday, downtown Orlando bar owners and stakeholders packed a room at city hall to meet with city leaders and once again weigh in amid two proposed ordinances aimed at addressing safety downtown.
Bosko Lazic owns several bars on Wall Street and said it’s about working together.
“The safety of our city, why should we have off-duty officers? Why not have on duty officers that are trained for the downtown entertainment district?” Lazic said.
The current ordinance calls for a six-month mortarium on new bars and clubs in downtown Orlando. It also requires a special use permit for any business wanting to sell alcohol after midnight. It includes associated costs for owners to help pay for off-duty officers to patrol the streets of downtown Orlando on weekends.
One of the biggest changes includes altering the occupancy/extra duty cops ratio, which the city said could reduce the costs for some businesses that will have to pay for off-duty officers to patrol the streets downtown.
Monica McCown is the vice president of Orlando Hospitality Alliance.
“When we’re working together, we can find ways to protect everybody without harming small businesses,” McCown said.
She said safety is key, but she doesn’t want small businesses to suffer.
“Ultimately, that’s the most important. We want our guests and visitors to feel really safe. We just want to make sure that paying for those officers is an appropriate cost and it’s split equitably among the people who are benefiting from it,” McCown said.
Orlando city commissioners will vote on these proposed ordinances on March 20.
City leaders said safety is their priority and focus, and Orlando will continue to dedicate funding and implement new programs to address these issues.
The city of Orlando sent News 6 this statement as a response about safety and the recent City District survey.
