Ordinance to establish entertainment district removed from council agenda
Published 12:36 am Thursday, October 3, 2019
An ordinance that would establish an entertainment district in Downtown Troy is no longer on the council’s next agenda as the proposed area no longer complies with the state act.
“There are certain qualifications that the area has to meet and the proposed area no longer meets certain guidelines,” said Melissa Sanders, planning and zoning administrator. “We will review this again at such time as the area comes back into compliance with the qualifications required in the act.”
The ordinance was proposed at the council’s September 24 council meeting as an area including the Downtown Square and one block out from the Square, as well as a few areas as far as two blocks from the Square.
However, Sanders said there is no specific area that the city must consider for an entertainment district; a future ordinance could propose an entirely different area if it meets state guidelines.
The act allows municipalities to establish up to two entertainment districts within corporate limits if they have an incorporated council and at least four licensees holding retail liquor licenses within the district. The district can be no more than 0.5 by 0.5 miles, although it can be irregularly shaped.
As the district was proposed on September 23, there were four licensees holding retail liquor licenses in the district: Sips on the Square, Francesca’s, B. Graves and Infusions Cocktail Bar.
However, Infusions has closed since the September 23 meeting, which would make the district one retail liquor license short of qualifying for the district.
Mayor Jason Reeves said downtown businesses have been asking the city to look into establishing an entertainment district since 2012.
If an entertainment district were established, residents would be able to openly carry and drink alcoholic beverages from licensed alcohol sellers within the district, which must be in approved cups to signify compliance.
As proposed at the last meeting, the district would only open upon special application to the city for events. However, the council could also consider establishing a full-time entertainment district if they chose to.
If an entertainment district were established, no alcohol could be brought into or out of the district; the alcohol must be purchased at the authorized vendors within the district and all alcohol must be consumed within the district. It cannot be taken outside of the district and it must remain in the approved cups, which would be distributed by the vendors within the district.