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St. Albans to run POTA outdoor drinking district on Main Street for Sept. 19 music event
Summary
Mayor Scott James described the city's POTA (Private Outdoor Temporary Area) rules, boundaries and hours for a Main Street event: street closure at 5 p.m., POTA 6–9 p.m., band 7–9 p.m., and reusable POTA cups available to businesses.
Mayor Scott James said St. Albans will operate a Private Outdoor Temporary Area, or POTA, for a Main Street music event and described the program's boundaries, hours and logistics.
"We're having our second POTA event this Friday," James said on the city podcast. He said the city will close Main Street at 5 p.m., the POTA will take effect at 6 p.m. and run to 9 p.m., and the music (Soul Mountain with Chris Sutton) will play from 7 to 9 p.m.
James described the POTA district boundaries for the event: "The POTA actually goes from Third Street all the way across Second Street down to B Street, and then you go right and left on B Street to the alleyways, and that's where POTA District ends" (podcast). He said the district ends "at the metal post outside of Drummys." He cautioned that the cafe on Main Street will not be inside the closed block for this event and warned about patrons crossing Second Street to rejoin the music.
The mayor explained logistics for cups and vendors: the city purchased reusable POTA cups and he offered to sell them to bars at cost ("I'll sell them to them at our cost"). He said a cup could be reused for future POTA events.
James said POTA is intended to support local businesses by reducing indoor congestion and keeping customers on Main Street during festivals. He cited other regional successes, saying Huntington and Charleston have run similar programs.
The podcast also cited the state's Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA). James said ABCA recognizes the mayor's office as having final decision-making authority on whether to permit POTA in a given event.
Residents and business owners seeking a formal ruling or permitting instructions should consult the city's event notices and ABCA guidance; the podcast was an informational discussion ahead of an announced event.
