FresYes Fest attendees gather in Downtown Fresno in 2018. Photo by Edward Smith
Written by Frank Lopez
Visitors to Downtown Fresno may soon be able to drink alcohol on public streets and sidewalks after the Fresno City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Thursday establishing a framework for entertainment zones.
The ordinance allows local bars, restaurants, wineries, breweries and other on-sale licensees to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption in outdoor spaces — including plazas, public streets, sidewalks and public rights-of-way — during special events. Each event would require its own permit, and alcohol would be sold only through licensed establishments, not temporary vendors.
Outdoor consumption would be permitted between 10 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.
The ordinance establishes three entertainment zones:
Entertainment Zone A covers Fulton Street between the southern edge of Inyo Street and the northern edge of Mono Street.
Entertainment Zone B covers Fulton Street between the southern edge of Tulare Street and the northern edge of Mono Street, and includes Kern Street east of Homerun Alley to Fulton Street.
Entertainment Zone C covers the eastern edge of Fulton Street between the southern edge of Inyo Street and the northern edge of Mono Street, and the eastern edge of Broadway Street.
All zones include public streets, sidewalks and public rights-of-way within their boundaries.
The ordinance takes effect 31 days after its final passage.
Not everyone welcomed the move. Joseph Rodriguez, a local artist, voiced opposition over concerns about drunk driving.
“Cities that have found success with entertainment zones have a lot of people living downtown and have enough people that could walk to these entertainment zones and walk home. Most people drive to downtown and drive out of downtown,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also argued that Downtown Fresno lacks the residential density needed to support an entertainment zone and noted that existing venues such as Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. already offer outdoor seating where patrons can drink.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source thebusinessjournal.com ’
