The Gainesville City Council approved several changes to the city’s alcohol ordinance at their meeting Tuesday night.
Assistant City Manager Angela Sheppard said the city views the alcohol ordinance as a living document that needs to be updated as regulations change at the state level.
“We just want to be sure that we keep our alcohol ordinance updated and fresh,” Sheppard said. “Some of the things were just as simple as addressing and simplifying some definitions that were in there. Some of it was addressing notifications for people if there were violations. Some of it is clarifying that in order to get an alcohol license, you don't just need a certificate of occupancy, you also need a business license. So some of it is, you know, clarifying some of the administrative aspects of the alcohol license, but also some of it is, you know, simplifying some of the regulations and peeling some of those back.”
Sheppard added they eliminated restrictions on walk-up service windows and will allow restaurants to charge corkage fees.
“We are allowing for corkage fees so that restaurants that are allowed to sell bottles of wine can allow patrons to bring in a bottle of wine themselves,” Sheppard said. “The restaurant can charge them a corkage fee to open that bottle of wine and enjoy it with their meal.”
The city modified the ordinance as it pertains to drink promotions.
“We are softening some of the restrictions so it would allow for things like bottomless mimosas, whereas before those had been restricted. We are doing things like allowing you to sell more than one drink for a set price,” Sheppard said. “We are doing some things that we think are beneficial to both our businesses and the patrons.”
Sheppard said businesses can also offer all-you-can-drink for a set price for a set time before 10 p.m., serve pitchers to two or more people at one time and offer reduced-price drinks, no less than half the price regularly charged from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sheppard further explained the updated ordinance will allow restaurants to offer buckets of drinks to patrons.
“I think as long as everybody continues to use and drink responsibly, we can continue to make some changes and adjustments that make sense for the community,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard said she hopes residents enjoy the downtown dining district but added open containers end at midnight and Gainesville City Police officers will enforce the law.
