GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Dozens of city blocks in and around downtown Grand Rapids could soon be designated drinking areas.
The Grand Rapids City Commission’s Committee of the Whole voted unanimously Tuesday, July 21, to designate a number of city streets and sidewalks, as well as Calder Plaza and portions of two city parks, “common areas” where people of legal age can drink to-go alcoholic beverages purchased from approved bars and restaurants.
The common areas cover much of the roadways and sidewalks downtown. Additional common areas include about five blocks of Bridge Street on the city’s West Side, four blocks of Wealthy Street in the East Hills Neighborhood and, lastly, Canal Park and two adjacent blocks to it.
Rosa Parks Circle and Veterans Memorial Park were not designated common areas where people can drink.
Final approval of the measure is expected to come at the commission’s 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday via a sweeping consent agenda vote. After that, the city must submit their plans to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
Restaurants and bars hoping to serve patrons to-go drinks for common area consumption must get approval from the city commission and then seek a permit from the Liquor Control Commission.
The common areas are seated within “social districts,” which were also approved for establishment Tuesday morning.
Generally, the social districts overlap the city’s current “social zones,” which are designated areas where people can bring in sealed containers of beer and wine to drink, as well as eat to-go orders and takeout meals from nearby restaurants.
The difference between the social zones and the social districts is that patrons wouldn’t have to bring in sealed containers of alcohol to drink them in the area -- they could purchase them from a nearby restaurant or bar and carry and consume them around the common areas.
During the Tuesday committee meeting, 23 bars and restaurants were approved to seek state permits to sell to-go alcohol.
City staff, in an effort to expedite the process, are looking into whether they can administratively approve bars and restaurants to seek state permits so further businesses won’t have to wait for approval from the city commission, which meets bi-monthly.
Once approved by the state, restaurants and bars can then sell to-go containers to patrons that must be labelled with the business’ name as well as the social district it belongs to. The drinks must be no more than 16 ounces and sold in non-glass containers.
A patron can consume and walk around with the to-go drink so long as they stay within the designated common areas.
The legislation permitting social districts, common areas and restaurants and bars in those districts to sell the to-go alcohol was signed into law earlier this month by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Related: To-go cocktails now allowed after Whitmer shutters indoor bar service in most of Michigan
The legislation was meant to boost restaurant and bar revenues as they cope with reduced capacity because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides more open space for distant congregating to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The common areas will likely expand as the city approves more social zones.
Related: More ‘social zones’ to expand outdoor bar, restaurant service opening in Grand Rapids
The city is eyeing additional social zones near the intersections of Leonard Street NW at Quarry Avenue NW and Bridge Street NW at Stocking Avenue NW. Another under consideration is Cherry Street SE from Diamond Avenue SE to approximately 500 feet west.
The zones and districts are different from additional outdoor seating that restaurants and bars can request for their own private property, as opposed to the public property involved in the social zones.
Read more:
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Michigan’s retail liquor sales a bright spot amid coronavirus economy slump
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