SUMMERVILLE — Town Council once again postponed a final decision on a proposed open container district to allow Summerville Dream, a cohort of small business owners and entrepreneurs, to return with an updated plan that responds to feedback from residents and local businesses.
The July 9 vote to delay the decision came after it was delayed at Town Council’s June meeting due to the absence of two council members and a desire to address concerns from residents about the scope of the proposal.
Under the current proposal, only beer and wine would be permitted outdoors, with customers being allowed one beverage in an approved disposable cup of no more than 16 ounces. The ordinance would prohibit people from carrying drinks beyond district boundaries and establish outdoor drinking hours from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
The district would encompass much of the town’s core, including portions of South Main Street, Richardson Avenue, Doty Avenue, Central Avenue, Pine Street and Cedar Street.
The proposed open container ordinance for the outdoor entertainment district would encompass much of downtown Summerville, including portions of South Main Street, Richardson Avenue, Doty Avenue, Central Avenue, Pine Street and Cedar Street.
Many local business owners previously expressed support for the proposal, though reactions among residents were mixed, according to previous reporting.
Resident Beverly Parker said at the July 9 council meeting that she was disappointed with the proposal. She pointed to a recent push for roadway safety improvements along West Richardson Avenue and called the proposal for the open container district “ironic.”
“If we add the alcohol to the mix, we’re going to have the effects that go with it, and we can’t fool ourselves with that,” she said. “We’re going to have trash. … This open consumption of beer and wine is going to lead to buzzed people, and buzzed people are drunk people who don’t make good decisions.”
Resident Adrian Kwist, who has lived in Summerville for over 60 years, said it would create a burden for local police and complicate cleanup around the area.
Councilwoman Tiffany Johnson-Wilson said at Council’s June meeting that the she had drawn a map to decrease the size of the zone, though it was not included in the agenda for the July 9 meeting. She also suggested more trash bins and signage about the district boundaries should be included in the plan.
Councilwoman Kima Garten had also expressed concerns about the 12-hour outdoor drinking window every day, suggesting the hours should be limited further and center on local events like Third Thursday.
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