Several recent City Talk columns have dealt with aspects of the city of Savannah’s proposed new alcohol ordinance. Readers should expect more such columns in the coming weeks.
This sweeping revision, if passed in anything close to its current form, will have broad impacts on local business and culture. There will be political ramifications too, but I’ll have more to say about that later.
So far, there seems to be a broad consensus that the draft ordinance takes positive steps in defining categories of businesses that can hold alcohol licenses and in eliminating our current “hybrid” licensing.
But the draft ordinance is dotted with controversial elements.
City officials keep insisting this is the beginning of a process and they’re listening to public feedback. But this is not the beginning of a process. City officials worked on this ordinance for many months and have presented a draft with some draconian measures.
The draft is a terrible starting point for public discussion, but that’s where we are.
Consider the city’s proposed expansion of the zone for to-go cups to include Forsyth Park.
The city’s proposed new boundaries would include Forsyth Park but not any of the neighboring businesses.
In fact, the revised boundaries would clearly benefit only one business — the Café at Forsyth Park, which sits on city-owned property.
The Sentient Bean on Park Avenue, literally across the street from the proposed new to-go cup boundary, offers a small selection of quality beers and wines, but customers are not even allowed to consume those beverages at the café tables immediately outside the front door.
But sit at one of those café tables while there’s a big event in Forsyth, and you’ll see people strolling by with to-go cups in hand. That’s happening right now when it’s not legal in many cases for folks to be drinking in the park at all, much less leaving with their drinks.
Around the corner, employees at the American Legion battle daily to explain to patrons that they cannot leave with drinks. Many Savannahians assume the to-go cup boundaries include all of “downtown,” so they think they can grab a beverage at the Legion and wander north.
Those negative, time-consuming interactions will dramatically multiply if the legal boundary is Park Avenue instead of Jones Street.
By all means, let’s consider the expansion of the to-go cup zone. But let’s give neighbors who oppose the move a fair chance to voice opposition, and let’s consider ways that the expansion could benefit rather than burden area businesses.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.