Gainesville unveils map for downtown dining district as part of alcohol ordinance changes

As part of a change in the city's alcohol ordinance, Gainesville has now mapped out a downtown dining district for the city.

 

City Manager Bryan Lackey introduced the map to Gainesville City Council at its Thursday work session.

 

"The map defines the boundaries - what we call our downtown moat - bordered by Jesse Jewell, EE Butler, Academy and West Academy streets," said Lackey.

 

Establishing a designated district will make it easier to enforce outdoor consumption rules in Gainesville's downtown area, according to Lackey.

 

"It clears it up for the businesses downtown, it clears it up for the people enjoying events in our downtown and it also clears it up for our law enforcement - they're clear on what to enforce and what they need to explain to people," Lackey said.

 

City council members will vote on the new map, as well as other changes to the city's alcohol ordinance, at a voting session on Tuesday, August 15.

 

"[City Council] will have the second reading on all four of the ordinance changes they heard two weeks ago at the last council meeting," Lackey said. "Then there will be two additional companion resolutions...the one establishing the map and the downtown dining district and then there's another one that goes along with the establishing of fees for the breweries and brew pubs. Instead of us inserting those fees into our ordinance, we're taking all alcohol-related fees...and putting them into a schedule of fees."

 

That move, said Lackey, will make any future fee changes easier, since fees can be changed with a simple resolution, rather than a vote to change the entire ordinance. 

 

Follow this link to the Gainesville city website to see the full agenda for the August 15 meeting, including details of the new alcohol ordinance provisions for the city.