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Santa Rosa leaders endorsed an initiative that would allow downtown visitors to take their beer or wine to-go<\/a> as they stroll Fourth Street or sit at Old Courthouse Square.<\/p>\n Public consumption would be allowed in two areas spanning much of the downtown on Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings under the proposed pilot program, though operating hours are still being finalized.<\/p>\n Planning officials and council members hope the program helps energize downtown and provides a boon to businesses by expanding alcohol sales and getting more people onto the streets.<\/p>\n \u201cThis could be a great thing for the city,\u201d Mayor Mark Stapp said.<\/p>\n San Francisco was the first in the state to permit public consumption in so-called entertainment zones<\/a> as officials there sought to revitalize the Financial District and other neighborhoods, but the program was expanded statewide under Senate Bill 969<\/a> signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024.<\/p>\n Today, visitors can drink outdoors during certain special events in Sacramento, while public consumption is allowed on weekends in Santa Monica and daily in Redding.<\/p>\n Santa Rosa council members supported testing out the idea but raised concerns about how off-site consumption would be monitored, especially with reduced police resources downtown.<\/p>\n Deputy Director of Planning Jessica Jones suggested the city conduct a six-to-12-month pilot to collect program data, analyze impacts to businesses and city services and smooth out any issues.<\/p>\n The proposal has received support from officials with the Downtown Action Organization and Historic Railroad Square Association, which oversee the city\u2019s two community benefit districts that include more 200 properties and more than 150 property owners.<\/p>\n In a joint letter to the city, the groups\u2019 leaders said entertainment zones could help bring vitality to downtown, support businesses and \u201ccontribute to a more welcoming experience for residents, workers and visitors.\u201d They committed to working with the city to help structure and implement the program.<\/p>\n The idea was first presented last summer to the Santa Rosa Economic Development Subcommittee, a council working group exploring ways to boost economic activity citywide, and particularly in the city\u2019s downtown core.<\/p>\n Typically, alcohol sold at bars and restaurants must be consumed on-site.<\/p>\n But under the program, patrons would be able to purchase beverages at participating restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries within the boundary and drink them on the sidewalk, plazas and other public areas.<\/p>\n Closed or sealed drinks bought at convenience or liquor stores intended for off-site consumption would still be prohibited from being opened in public.<\/p>\n Planning officials over the last few months have been working through how the program would operate, studying similar efforts in other cities for best practices, meeting with Santa Rosa police to discuss public safety concerns and gathering input from merchants and property owners downtown.<\/p>\n Staffers propose two districts.<\/p>\n One would surround Old Courthouse Square between D and B streets and Seventh and Third streets. The boundary would extend east on Fourth Street to include Russian River Brewing and west on First Street to include Shady Oak.<\/p>\n The area around Railroad Square between Davis and Wilson streets and Fifth to Third streets would be another zone.<\/p>\n The boundaries are broader than initial zones outlined by staff last summer that included the busier Third and Fourth street corridors. The expanded boundaries take in more restaurants and bars, including businesses at the Brickyard Center on B Street, such as Flagship Taproom, and Cooperage Brewing, which had expressed interest to city staff in participating.<\/p>\n Outdoor drinking would not be allowed on parking lots or in garages within the zones.<\/p>\n