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Utica council votes to deny proposed downtown social district after weeks of debate
Summary
After extended public comment and council discussion about safety, cleanup costs and logistics, Utica City Council voted 6–1 to deny a proposal to create a year‑round downtown social district allowing sealed alcoholic beverages to be carried outside licensed establishments.
Utica City Council on Tuesday voted 6–1 to deny a proposal to create a downtown social district that would let customers carry sealed alcoholic drinks outside licensed bars and restaurants.
Supporters of the plan told council they expected the district to boost downtown activity, while bar owners and some council members raised concerns about policing, cleanup costs and whether the city could contain and control the area.
Proponents Anna (owner, Vinu Vibes) and Paul Weiss (owner, Steampunk Taproom) said a social district would make Utica more vibrant and pointed to nearby cities that have similar programs. "It's not to get people completely intoxicated,"…
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