Redwood City council approves ad hoc recommendation to pilot downtown entertainment zone

Redwood City’s council voted 5–0 on May 4 to approve an ad hoc committee’s recommendation to pilot an entertainment zone on the Broadway pedestrian mall, a controlled area where patrons could buy beer and wine from participating businesses and consume them in a defined public space during city‑activated events.

Deputy City Manager Jennifer Yamaguma, who presented the plan, told the council the tool is authorized by state law (staff cited “SB 9 69,” adopted in 2024) and would operate within ABC regulations and local rules on boundaries, hours and operations. Yamaguma described a phased pilot with 2–3 activations of two to three hours each over three to four months, active only when the city turns the zone on. She said the city would coordinate public safety, manage controlled entry/exit points and maintain emergency access.

"This is a controlled, flexible tool," Yamaguma said, adding the city would set activation…