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Commission recommends council consider expanding riverfront liquor-license boundary and creating a downtown dining fund
Summary
The redevelopment commission on July 14 approved sending a revised riverfront liquor-license boundary and a recommendation to establish a municipal fund (proposed $2,500 annual fee per license) to the Common Council for consideration; the commission’s action was a recommendation, and council would draft any ordinance and determine fund rules.
The Michigan City Redevelopment Commission on July 14 forwarded a recommendation to the Common Council to consider revised boundaries for the riverfront municipal liquor-license program and to create a standing fund to support downtown dining and related amenities.
Staff presented two maps showing (1) the existing riverfront license boundary and (2) a proposed boundary based on the redevelopment area and a 3,000-foot buffer from the center line of Trail Creek, drawn under the authority the staff cited as part of program rules. The proposed map extends eligibility farther down Michigan Boulevard and Franklin Street than the current boundary, which staff said could broaden where a riverfront municipal beverage license could be available in the redevelopment area.
Staff also proposed establishing a municipal fund into which recipients of a riverfront municipal license would pay an annual fee of $2,500 (due July 1 each year under the proposed structure). Staff explained the redevelopment commission would “police” collection of the fee but would not set the fund’s spending rules; those rules and any ordinance language would be the council’s responsibility. Commissioners suggested the council consider nonreverting language and spending priorities tied to downtown dining, streetscape, signage, trash/recycling, and promotional activities.
The commission voted to forward the revised rules, maps and fund recommendation to the Common Council for its review and ordinance development. Commission leaders and staff indicated they would supply an application template and an interactive online map to help prospective businesses determine eligibility; staff said they would label parcels as eligible/noneligible on a web widget.
The RDC’s action was a referral and recommendation; final authority to revise the riverfront licensing program and establish the fund rests with the Common Council.
