New ordinance could allow it nightly to 1 a.m.
The St. Cloud City Council will move forward with a proposal to extend hours of outdoor alcohol consumption in the downtown Entertainment District.
The ordinance as originally drafted would allow the sales from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m., seven days a week. The current ordinance allows for alcohol sales until midnight Wednesday through Saturday.
While the first reading was passed at Thursday meeting with those times, Council members Kolby Urban and Ken Gilbert asked the time kept at midnight when the final version comes back for a vote at a future meeting. Gilbert actually asked for an 11 p.m. ending during the week, but Urban said a midnight cutoff nightly would make it consistent.
City Attorney Dan Mantzaris reminded the Council they can make their preferred changes to the times at the ordinance’s second and final reading.
The Entertainment District is the area from 9th to 13th Streets, and from Florida to Massachusetts Avenue. Patrons can leave an establishment with one drink smaller than 16 ounces in a clear plastic cup within the area. St. Cloud Police Officer Michael Macdonald, who works in the downtown community district, reminded Council members that the cutoff time refers to the end of heading outside with a drink and not “last call.” He said most business owners feel the new hours will help revenue Sunday-Tuesday.
“The seven-day a week thing would bring a massive influx of revenue to our downtown area, based on speaking to our business owners,” Macdonald said.
St. Cloud Police Chief Doug Goerke said officers who patrol the entertainment district encounter minimal challenges with people carrying alcohol outside and generally don’t encounter many people out there after midnight. Urban and Gilbert said their stance came from speaking with police and residents who live near the entertainment sector.
“This helps the restaurants and bars but hurts the residents,” Gilbert said.
Also Thursday, Council members discussed creating an ordinance to allow recently-annexed properties with county zoning exemptions for current 4-H members with chickens to continue participating in the 4-H program. City staff will bring back a revised ordinance at a future meeting.
The end result, city officials said, would allow those raising animals like chickens, rabbits, birds and fowl as part of a youth agriculture program like 4-H or Future Farmers of America, who had exemption from Osceola County, to continue if their property becomes annexed by St. Cloud, which has stricter guidelines.
“This used to be a very-heavily agricultural community. I want to make sure these folks still have that ability,” Mayor Chris Robertson said. “It’s a very unique situation that we won’t encounter all the time, but I’m glad it’s been brought up.”
