SOCIAL STROLL
City OKs downtown social district with outdoor drinking
There are some details to work out yet, but Royal Oak city commissioners unanimously approved a measure to create a social district in the downtown area.
The move will allow bar and restaurant patrons to get alcoholic drinks in dated official to-go cups from businesses that get permits to participate in the social district. Customers can then stroll around the social district with their drinks.
“If we have any problems we can make changes,” said Mayor Michael Fournier said. “We’ll take it day by day.”
The state last year passed a law allowing communities to create social districts to help entertainment businesses and let people drink in the safer outdoor environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 40 communities statewide have social districts or are about to create them, including Clarkston, Northville, Farmington, Ferndale, Holly, Lake Orion and Pontiac in Oakland County.
Royal Oak’s Downtown Development Authority requested the city to approve a social district.
DDA officials hope to get the social district in place sometime in May or shortly after.
Royal Oak police Chief Corrigan O’Donohue said his department has no objections to the social district, which would allow outdoor drinking seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
O’Donohue spoke to police in Farmington and Northville, which already have social districts in place.
“They said (social districts) work very well and they have no issues with them,” he said.
Commissioners Brandon Kolo and Melanie Macey proposed that there be some sort of designated areas for people strolling with their drinks where they might pause in small socially distanced groups.
Timothy Thwing, city community development director, said most of Royal Oak’s social district will be in the rights-of-way along the streets. However, he noted the new downtown park, set to be completed at the end of October, is included in the district along with the Farmers Market.
Other areas where people might congregate are Fifth Street between Washington Avenue and Center Street, the small Eagle Plaza near the Center Street garage, and the Farmers Market parking lot.
City commissioners Sharlan Douglas and Patricia Paruch expressed some reservations about having people congregate at the pending downtown Centennial Commons park during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Douglas said that groups gathering at the park or other large spaces gatherings might present “opportunities for mischief.”
“We can see how it works in the
Thwing estimated that roughly half of the more than 40 liquor-licensed bars and restaurants within the designated social district will likely apply for permits to serve alcohol in the official to-go cups.
summer,” Fournier said, “then see how it works in the park.”
Other officials were less worried about problems at the park.
“I don’t think you’d go to Centennial Park to binge drink,” Macey said.
Concerns over getting people to social distance might be addressed with signs or possibly with rules about close gatherings written on the to-go cups patrons will drink from, Thwing said.
“We’ll have to make rules,” he said.
The DDA expects to spend about $200,000 to fund the social district through next year. The money is to be spent setting up the social district with signage, maintenance and to handle special events.
Thwing estimated that roughly half of the more than 40 liquor-licensed bars and restaurants within the designated social district will likely apply for permits to serve alcohol in the official to-go cups.
“I think restaurant owners see this as an opportunity to stay competitive,” he said.