Oviedo Council reviews new alcohol consumption regulations following state license approval

The Oviedo City Council Work Session on April 28, 2025, focused on the implications of a new state law allowing off-premise open consumption of alcoholic beverages. The discussion centered around how the city should regulate this change and the potential adjustments to the areas where such consumption would be permitted.

City officials reviewed the current establishments that hold licenses for alcohol sales and considered whether to modify the designated areas for open consumption. One proposal was to limit these areas to specific locations, such as the OVO in the Park and Center Lake Park, while excluding certain commercial tracts. The council was asked to weigh the benefits of shrinking the allowable area against the potential for future expansion.

The new state law enables the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to issue licenses for off-premise consumption, meaning establishments can serve alcohol that customers can take off-site. However, the law does not regulate open containers in public spaces, leaving it up to local ordinances to determine how open consumption is managed. If the city does not enact regulations, businesses could be licensed to serve alcohol, but customers would not be allowed to leave with open containers.

Council members raised questions about the practical implications of the new licenses, including whether customers could bring drinks from one establishment into another that has a different type of alcohol license. It was noted that most establishments typically do not allow outside drinks, and a standardized cup system was suggested to help identify beverages that should not be brought into certain venues.

The meeting concluded with a call for further discussion on how to best implement these changes while ensuring compliance with both state law and local regulations. The council's decisions in the coming weeks will shape the future of alcohol consumption policies in Oviedo.