Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alcohol Licensing Special Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Washington County adopts broader alcohol license categories and places limited brewpubs in Zion influence area
Summary
The Washington County Commission approved ordinance 2025-12-91-O to amend Title 3 (business and license regulations), adding new restaurant alcohol categories and a limited brewpub/wine‑bar license restricted to a Zion National Park influence overlay map to balance tourism demand and public‑safety concerns.
The Washington County Commission on May 6 adopted ordinance 2025-12-91-O to amend Title 3 of the county code to add new alcohol license categories and update special-event permitting.
The change creates two expanded restaurant license tiers (one allowing beer and wine; one allowing beer, wine and liquor) and a limited brewpub/wine‑bar license that may be granted only in a defined “Zion National Park influence area.” The ordinance also moves licensing processing from the clerk/auditor’s office to community development and adds a multi‑year special‑event permit option.
Victoria, a county staff member who presented the code changes, said the revisions are intended to streamline permitting and support the county’s tourism economy: “The public doesn't like to have to go to 2 different windows to get a business license. 1 is to get the zoning, So those are the 2 main changes.” She also described the new limited brewpub/wine‑bar category as requiring “substantial food” but a lower food‑sales threshold than full restaurants.
Commissioners debated how widely to allow the limited brewpub/wine‑bar license. Concern centered on enforcement and public safety in remote unincorporated areas. One commissioner argued that allowing such licenses only in the Zion influence area would keep tourists “on‑site where they can stay” rather than driving after drinking, while avoiding expansion into remote parts of the county that have fewer law‑enforcement resources.
The commission adopted the ordinance with a motion that specified adopting the Zion National Park influence area map (the scenic byway/SR‑9 overlay) and not the alternative New Harmony/Kolob overlay. The motion passed by voice vote.
The ordinance also contains multiple non‑substantive code cleanups, special‑event changes (including a shutdown provision for unpermitted or out‑of‑control events), and a provision allowing multi‑year permits when events recur without material changes.
The county will implement the new license categories and map restrictions immediately under the adopted ordinance; staff said additional administrative updates and fee cycles will follow.
