Norwalk : Age Rules for Pool Halls, Video Arcades Gain Ground

The City Council has banned unaccompanied minors from the city’s only pool hall, and has restricted hours that youngsters may patronize video arcades.

The new ordinance, which was approved recently, also calls for adequate outside visibility and interior lighting and requires pool halls to provide security.

In the last year, two shootings--one of them fatal--in the Varsity Billiards parking lot, together with loitering by teen-agers skipping school, alarmed neighboring businesses and nearby residents, said Kevin Gano, city public safety director. Varsity, which is located at 11021 Alondra Blvd., has 18 pool tables and 30 video games.

Michael Markulis, who has owned the business since 1985, has enlarged windows to increase visibility from the outside, increased interior lighting, and started a 24-hour armed patrol.

Under terms of the new ordinance, minors may not enter billiard parlors unless accompanied by an adult. They may not be there under any circumstances between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

In addition, minors will not be allowed in any business in the city with five or more video games during school hours and after 10 p.m.