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The Administration's Reccomendation on the Removal of Per Block-face Regulations on Alcohol Establishments in the Downtown Area |
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Written by Jim Henderson
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Friday, October 30 2009 12:18 |
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Dear Neighborhood Discussion Group Participant: Today the Mayor’s Office forwarded a recommendation to the City Council regarding the business license ordinance which specifies removing the two-per-blockface limitation on alcohol establishments in the Downtown area. For your convenience, we have attached the full recommendation as a pdf file. The recommendation from the Mayor’s Office states the following:
“…Specifically, Salt Lake City’s restriction of the number of alcohol establishments per block face in the Downtown area is inconsistent with the City’s economic development and Downtown revitalization goals. This regulatory scheme has also been a source of confusion for many property and business owners in the City. Salt Lake City is one of the few cities in Utah and the region that regulate alcohol establishments in this manner. Ogden is the only other city known by staff to have a similar regulation.
The proposed revision applies only to alcohol establishments that are a) in District A of the current alcohol map, and b) in the D-1, D-2, D-3, or D-4 zone. Specifically, the proposed ordinance exempts alcohol establishments within Downtown from the “two per block face” restriction, from the regulation that limits the number of alcohol establishments on the interior or exterior of any block, and from the requirement limiting only one brewpub or microbrewery per side of a major street. The changes are consistent with public comment and business interests in the Downtown Salt Lake City area. The change will allow the location of alcohol establishments in Downtown to be regulated through state law, the City’s zoning ordinances, and spacing restrictions remaining in Section 6.08.120.
In response to public comment, the Administration is actively exploring the following future actions to address larger concerns that are beyond the scope of this recommended ordinance:
- Changing alcohol establishments in the D2 and D3 zones from permitted to conditional use as part of the upcoming land use alcohol reforms;
- Revisiting and adjusting the City’s noise ordinances as they relate to commercial activities; and
- Developing a comprehensive approach to the City’s smoking regulations.
Noise and smoking were two common themes discussed during the public comment period. The Administration is addressing each of these as part of the conditional use process in the alcohol land use reforms. However, since alcohol establishments are a permitted use in the Downtown zones, the conditional use process will not apply. It is believed a more comprehensive approach is necessary and the Administration is exploring potential options to address noise and smoking more holistically…”
This recommendation is separate from the draft ordinance that is being revised regarding alcohol establishments in neighborhood areas. The ordinance regarding alcohol establishments in neighborhood areas will include a recommendation about conditional uses for the Downtown areas listed above. The recommendation to remove the two-per-blockface requirement from the business license ordinance will be scheduled by the City Council. When it is scheduled, we will let you know.
Thank you,
Mary DeLaMare-Schaefer |
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Last Updated on Friday, October 30 2009 12:28 |
