The Lake Wales City Commission reviewed a second-reading ordinance to create an Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE) district covering downtown streets and allowing registered businesses within that boundary to sell alcohol for on-site consumption with expanded flexibility about where patrons may consume it.
City staff said the ordinance was at second reading with no substantive changes since first reading and that state statute requirements, signage and a conditional-use permitting process would still apply before any new operating rules take effect.
Commissioners raised several concerns about the district’s boundary lines, which staff said were drawn from the historic district footprint and nearby downtown mixed-use areas. Commissioner Gillespie asked whether the district would exclude some existing businesses or favor current building owners over new entrants. “If someone wanted to open an establishment a couple of blocks away, they wouldn't have that advantage,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Gibson and other commissioners framed the district as a flexible tool for downtown activation, arguing that allowing patrons to take beverages into public downtown spaces will help retailers and encourage foot traffic. “This is about flexibility … it gives people the flexibility to take a beverage and drink it in this space,” Gibson said, noting the goal is to incentivize occupancy of vacant downtown storefronts.
Staff said the district would not take immediate effect if adopted; signs marking the district will be ordered and a public launch date will be announced after statutory implementation steps are completed. The commission discussed that the planned downtown hotel, if completed, would likely be added to the district boundaries in a future amendment.
No formal adoption vote was recorded on the ordinance at the meeting; staff said the item was proceeding through the second-reading process and that implementation tasks (signage, conditional-use permits and outreach) remain to be completed before any changes take effect.