We agree that allowing less seating for smaller restaurants is a way for these businesses to expand their customer base in hard economic times and we don’t believe the change would contribute to any problems downtown or lower our community’s standards.

Originally, the city allowed the sale of alcohol anywhere there was a counter or table to serve it. The city tightened its alcohol ordinance in 1981, allowing it only in restaurants with 50 or more seats, with the stipulation that the restaurants offer full-course meals.

And since 2008, specialty stores, such as wine or cigar shops and bookstores, have been allowed to sell beer and wine for onsite consumption, but only as a complement to their main product or service.

Any ordinance change, once drafted, will be aired at two public hearings at which local residents and business owners can speak for or against it.

We agree with Kissimmee commissioners that we do not want to allow bars and nightclubs in the downtown area. We also are happy to see the city wanting to tweak the ordinance regulating to the sale of alcohol in specialty stores, more clearly outlining the products and services that could be sold along with alcohol.

City right on human signs
We agree with the majority of the Kissimmee commissioners that businesses need to adhere to the current sign ordinance relating to costumed humans advertising a business or service from private property.

Yes, we are in hard economic times and businesses – whether they just opened or have been around for years – have to be creative about attracting customers so that they can make a go of it. However, weakening our sign ordinance to allow human signs – even temporarily – isn’t the way to go.