COLUMBUS — Uptown Columbus will soon have a late-night curfew for unsupervised minors after city officials approved the measure this week.
What’s happening: The curfew applies to anyone under 18 in the area between 8th Street and 14th Street, from 2nd Avenue to Bay Avenue. Under the new rule, minors may not be in public spaces in that area between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless a parent, legal guardian, or another adult with legal authority to supervise them is present. The ordinance includes some exceptions, though the city has not yet detailed what those are.
When it takes effect: The curfew does not start immediately. Mayor Skip Henderson must sign the ordinance first, and it takes effect 10 days after he does. It runs through Sept. 30, 2026, unless the city council votes to extend it.
Why it was passed: Residents and business owners in Uptown have reported fights, trespassing, shootings, and other disturbances during evening hours, often involving large groups of unsupervised teens. Some businesses have closed early because of the disruptions. Police say they have responded to hundreds of calls and made numerous arrests in the area in recent years, many during those same hours.
What the police chief said: “This ordinance is not about punishing kids. It is temporary and will end at the end of the summer,” Police Chief Stoney Mathis said. “Most of all, we need the help of parents. This is an overall strategic step to reduce crime, and we can’t do it alone. This is not about keeping kids out of Uptown. It’s about keeping people safe.”
What parents need to know: Parents and guardians can be held legally responsible under local and state law if their children are found violating the curfew. Police are urging families to know where their children are during evening hours and to avoid dropping them off in business areas without adult supervision.
The path forward: Police say they will increase their presence in Uptown Columbus and work with parents, business owners, and residents to make sure people understand the new rules before enforcement begins.
My parents never worried about whether their music choices or fashion sense met with my adolescent approval. They never hashtagged their struggles with #adulting—they just did the work of being adults.
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
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