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St. Marys Council expands Summerfest alcohol boundary to Spring Street
Summary
The St. Marys City Council voted to expand the permitted alcohol-consumption area for Summerfest north to Spring Street so beverage holders can move between the theater and the outdoor stage; council suspended rules to pass the ordinance at the meeting.
The St. Marys City Council voted during its meeting to expand the alcohol-consumption boundary for the city’s Summerfest, moving the northern limit from South Street to Spring Street so people can carry beverages to the outdoor theater stage.
Council member Earl, who presented the change, said the expansion would allow theater patrons to bring beverages across the street to the stage area. "Right now, that boundary is South Street. We would like to expand it to Spring Street, so it would include the back of the theater," Earl said. He told the council he had consulted the fire chief and police chief, who raised no objections.
The ordinance amends section 955.09(a) of the city code for the limited, event-specific liquor boundary during Summerfest. Council moved to suspend the rules before voting to adopt the ordinance so licensing and preparation could proceed; Council Member Buck made the motion to suspend the rules and Council Member Acuero seconded. The council then voted to pass the ordinance by voice/hand vote; the meeting record shows the motion carried and the mayor called for the affirmative hands.
Earl said the change was meant to allow people to carry beverages to the music on the outdoor stage and that the area’s other boundaries would remain the same: the west boundary Front Street, the south boundary the railroad tracks and the east boundary the river. He added the change is similar to a prior expansion when Summerfest moved to the park.
City staff noted the ordinance is not being treated as an emergency measure; the normal 30-day waiting period before final license activities remains. Earl said that timing would allow organizers to apply for the state liquor license in May without emergency language.
The council’s action was limited to the temporary, event-specific boundary for Summerfest and does not change general liquor-license rules outside that event.
The meeting later moved into an executive session on property acquisition; no action was taken afterward.
