SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — A final vote on whether to create a downtown outdoor entertainment district in Summerville will have to wait.
Summerville Town Council voted Thursday night to postpone a decision on the proposed Flowertown Outdoor Entertainment District, marking the second time the item has been delayed.
Last month, council postponed the proposal because several council members were absent. Councilmember Richard Waring explained that this time, they wanted more input from the business community and residents before taking a final vote.
“We postponed it again tonight because we’re looking for some input from our businesses and business community downtown,” Waring said, “and of course our citizens as well that have concerns and just want to make sure we get it right.”
The proposal would allow customers to purchase up to a 16-ounce beer or glass of wine from participating businesses and carry those drinks in specially marked cups while walking within designated downtown boundaries.
READ MORE | Summerville council votes to hold off on entertainment district
The decision to postpone came just minutes into Thursday night’s meeting, before council heard public comments on the proposal. Residents continue to have mixed opinions about the plan.
“The outdoor entertainment district is not reasonable, and it is not doable as is right now. So, let’s see what happens,” one resident said during public comment.
Supporters, however, believe the district could encourage more people to spend time in downtown Summerville and benefit locally owned businesses.
“I think anything that’ll keep people downtown, if they want to stop after work and just have a drink, they can actually bring that and shop and window shop,” Kathy Lindell, owner of Simple Treasures, explained. “Even for the stores that are closed, at least they get to see what’s inside your window.”
Before Thursday’s meeting, Mayor Russ Touchberry told ABC News 4 he believed council would likely postpone the vote to allow more time for feedback.
“I truly believe we have more input to get from our business community, and I think we will delay that vote until a future council meeting,” Touchberry said.
Town leaders say they’ll continue working with business owners and residents over the coming weeks before bringing the proposal back to council. Waring said he hopes council can take a final vote during its next regular meeting in August.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source abcnews4.com ’
