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Advisory board weighs allowing open-carry of alcohol in Denison's entertainment district
Summary
Main Street Advisory Board members discussed recommending that the city clarify whether open carry of alcohol should be permitted at all times in the entertainment district, noting questions about conditional-use permits, enforcement, and whether purchases must originate downtown; staff will seek legal clarification before taking the item to council.
The Main Street Advisory Board discussed whether to recommend that Denison allow open carry of alcoholic beverages at all times within the city'designated entertainment district. Staff said there is a wording discrepancy to resolve and asked the board whether it would endorse a recommendation before the item is presented to city council.
Staff member said the issue may link to conditional-use permits that individual businesses obtain to serve alcohol but that the open-carry provision itself "doesn't" necessarily have to be included with that ordinance. "Technically, there's discrepancy, and so we wanna erase that discrepancy," the staff member said, adding she would seek clarification from the city attorney before council consideration.
Committee members and downtown business owners raised practical and enforcement concerns. A business owner noted that bartenders are still required to follow responsible-service rules: "Our bartenders still have to have their TAVCs and all that, so they're not gonna serve a drunk person anyway," the owner said. Another participant asked whether the policy should require that alcohol being carried was purchased from a downtown vendor rather than brought in from elsewhere: "Are they gonna start coming downtown with their own flasks, like, for Music on Main, for Fall Fest?" the participant asked.
Members emphasized that public-safety laws would remain in force. One committee member pointed out that open carry does not exempt someone from being arrested for driving while intoxicated or for public intoxication. Board members also noted that announcing the policy publicly could change how residents interpret acceptable behavior downtown and urged precise wording to avoid confusing enforcement by police.
The staff member told the board she had started an initial draft of a "good neighbor" policy and an open-carry recommendation, partly using a template she generated with ChatGPT, but said the draft would be reviewed by the city clerk and city attorney. The board did not take a formal, recorded vote on a final recommendation during the meeting; staff said legal clarification and council review would be the next steps.
The board's consideration is procedural: it asked for direction on wording and for staff to pursue legal review rather than making an immediate policy change. The matter will return to the council with staff'recommended language after consultation with the city attorney.
