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Cloverdale to pursue outreach on downtown 'entertainment zone' after council feedback
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Summary
Staff presented a concept enabled by SB 969 for a downtown entertainment zone allowing controlled outdoor alcohol consumption; council directed outreach to businesses and stakeholders and discussed pilot timing, boundaries and safety measures.
City staff asked the council on March 11 to consider creating a downtown entertainment zone under California Senate Bill 969, a local option that allows cities to define limited public areas where adults may consume alcohol in approved containers and under specified rules.
Staff framed the initiative as an economic-development tool to boost downtown foot traffic, benefit local businesses and activate public spaces. The presentation described a two-step approach: adopt an enabling ordinance and develop a detailed management plan that would define boundaries, operating days and hours, ID-verification procedures, container rules (non-glass), and enforcement protocols. Staff suggested a pilot schedule mirroring other municipalities (initially Friday through Sunday, 12 p.m.–10 p.m.), but council members repeatedly urged a later start to minimize daytime drinking around school pickup times and suggested starting at 3 p.m. or aligning hours with local events.
Chief Parker said the police department is "cautious" but supports trialing the concept with clear rules and stakeholder buy-in; he emphasized consistent activation to avoid public confusion and recommended close coordination on event activations. Council discussion focused on protecting residential areas from spillover, excluding residential blocks from the zone, and ensuring the Chamber, Arts Alliance, event organizers and businesses are consulted. Some council members urged limiting alcohol types (beer/wine only) but staff noted enforcement and license distinctions would make that difficult to implement without excluding some local businesses.
Public commenters and several council members suggested confining the zone to the plaza and immediate downtown streets, structuring it so it would not undermine event vendors' revenues, and considering a one‑year pilot with biannual reviews required by the statute. The council’s consensus direction was to have staff host business and community outreach, gather feedback on boundaries and hours (with businesses' preferences noted), and then return with community input before drafting an ordinance and management plan.
Next steps: staff will perform targeted outreach to eligible downtown businesses, the Chamber, the Arts Alliance and event organizers; gather timing and boundary preferences; and report back to council before drafting the ordinance and management plan.
