More than 30 people representing various drinking establishments in the city showed up at Wednesday's council meeting to express dismay over the portion of the ordinance banning the sale and serving of on-premises 3.2 percent beer on Sundays.

In response, the City Council held an emergency meeting Thursday and voted unanimously to impose a six-month moratorium on any enforcement of such a ban.

“I think what happened was a lot of miscommunication,” said Councilman Boyd Marshall regarding the council's action in August. “I, for one, didn't know that was what I was voting for that night.”

The law's original intent was to help minimize police calls - “this wasn't the right way to do it,” said Councilman Shane Siwik.

City Attorney David Carlson drafted the alcohol ordinance to bring the city in line with changes in state law. The city's old ordinance had provisions on Sunday beer sales that were hard to understand, Carlson said.

“I realized we had never enforced a Sunday closure law, but the old ordinance had that intent,” said Carlson. “I didn't realize Sunday business was so important to these places, so it wasn't on anybody's radar screen when the ordinance passed.”

Aimee Williams, owner of the Dawg Pound at 3550 S. State St., said the Sunday ban would have shut her down in three to six months.

“We're a neighborhood bar and people like to come and watch NFL Ticket, ESPN, NASCAR and golf on Sundays while they drink beer,” Williams said. She had planned to purchase a second big-screen TV to accommodate her customers.

Carol Mills, owner of Carol's Cove II at 3319 S. State St. found herself in an odd predicament this past Sunday, when she had to quit selling her customers 3.2 percent beer.

Carol's Cove II is a private club - those licenses are state-regulated, while her class C license to sell 3.2 percent beer is regulated by the city.

“We can't serve light beer on Sunday but we can serve 80-proof liquor and 6 percent beer,” Mills said. “It's a terrible ordinance - it makes no sense.”

Dean Wood, owner of the 42-lane Bonwood Bowl since 1957, estimated that 11 percent of his gross income would be lost if the ordinance stayed in effect.

“Our Sunday business tends to be a bar crowd,” Wood said. His leagues and tournaments probably would choose to go elsewhere if he could no longer offer the combination of cold beer and spares, splits and strikes.

“With the current economic climate, it was shaking us up a little. We're glad the council responded so fast,” Wood said.

The issue will be on the council's agenda in two weeks, for a more permanent fix.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com