Marion will have a social district where patrons can walk around with open containers of alcohol within a designated and regulated area. The idea is to encourage more revitalization in the downtown as other North Carolina cities already have done.
The creation of such a district was unanimously approved by the Marion City Council during the regular meeting on Tuesday.
Last month, the City Council heard a request from Emily Causey, co-owner of Mica Town Brewing. She spoke to council members on behalf of a group of downtown ABC permit holders, other downtown businesses, and property owners who are interested in creating a social district in the central business section of Marion.
Social districts are contiguous areas where people can walk around with open containers of alcoholic beverages. The drinks must be purchased from a bar, restaurant, brewery or other on-premise establishment permitted by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission and consumed within the boundaries and hours of that district. The containers must be labeled with the social district’s logo to identify where the drink was purchased and to signify that is it allowed.
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This means that a person cannot bring beer or wine they purchased from a convenience or grocery store and drink it around downtown as they go from place to place. But a person can walk around with an open container purchased from one of the participating businesses in that section of downtown. A business or private property located within the boundaries of the social district can decide whether or not to participate in the activities of the district. Indoor and outdoor areas of a business or property may be included in the district.
For instance, if Flavors on Main (which doesn’t sell alcohol) and Spillway Bridge (which does) were participants in the district, folks could purchase a glass of wine or beer from Spillway and carry it along the sidewalk and into Flavors on Main while holiday shopping, Causey said last month.
Causey said in May her group worked with the McDowell Chamber of Commerce, the Marion Business Association and the city to help collect data, feedback, and best practices from other municipalities in the state who have created social districts.
These districts are allowed in North Carolina because of a state law passed by the N.C. General Assembly in September 2021. It allows for the establishment of social districts by town, city or county governments. More than 40 cities and towns across the state have implemented a social district.
In the 18 months since social districts were authorized in North Carolina, not one single city or town creating one has reversed its decision but instead municipalities have seen just how successful they are and have instead expanded the boundaries of their original social districts, according to Causey.
After hearing about this at the May meeting, Council Members Billy Martin, Don Ramsey and Mayor Pro Tem Woody Ayers expressed their support for the idea. But Mayor Steve Little wanted to wait until Council Members Chet Effler and Ann Harkey could attend before taking a formal vote.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Causey appeared again before council and repeated the request.
After hearing from her, Effler made a motion to approve and Martin seconded the motion. Effler said this new district allows the city to have a mechanism and structure to make sure it is regulated.
The motion passed unanimously. The next step will be for the city to create an ordinance outlining the details of the social district. That matter will be voted on during the July meeting of city council.
In addition, council heard a report from Public Information Officer Landdis Hollifield about the WNC Bigfoot Festival, which was held on Saturday, May 20. The city’s Economic Development Software, which was funded by the McDowell Tourism Development Authority, shows that approximately 14,000 people attended this year’s festival. The busiest times at the festival for foot traffic were between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Around 58% of attendees chose to use satellite parking and ride a shuttle into downtown Marion, said Hollifield.
A large number of visitors came from within the state of North Carolina and only 28% of attendees were from Marion. This year’s event also had a large number of visitors (more than 50) from New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee, Indiana, Nevada, South Carolina, Colorado and Ohio.
After hearing from Hollifield, Mayor Steve Little and council members thanked John Bruner and Jon Eric Bruner with Bigfoot 911 for their leadership in putting on the festival, which is Marion’s biggest event. City Manager Bob Boyette commended city employees and staff as well as the volunteer for all their hard work with the festival.
In other business, the council:
• Authorized the sale of city-owned property on West Grayson Street through the negotiated offer and upset bid process. The city recently received an offer from Kendrick Swepson to purchase two parcels totaling .36 of an acre on West Grayson Street. The parcels are currently vacant and also have a city sewer line on the rear portion of one or both parcels. Council agreed to sell the property for $5,000 but it is still subject to the upset bid process. That means someone else could come along and offer a bigger bid before the sale is final.
• Heard a presentation from Shannon Odom, the new director of the McDowell Tourism Development Authority.
• Agreed to end COVID-19 sick leave for city employees.
• Approved holding meetings with the community forums. Council will hold its Aug. 15 meeting with the West Marion Community Forum at Addie’s Chapel United Methodist Church. The Sept. 19 meeting will be held with the Marion East Community Forum at the new Marion East Recreation Center on Baldwin Avenue.
• Proposals for Engineering and Professional Sewer Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) Grant Project.
• Accepted a proposal for a sewer asset inventory project. The city recently took proposals for engineering and professional services for the $400,000 sewer Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) grant Project, to include an inflow and infiltration study of six sewer basins, an engineering assessment of the sewer treatment plant and a water and sewer rate study. Three statements of qualifications were received from Withers Ravenel, Kimley Horn and McGill Associates. After a detailed review of the three statements of qualifications, city staff recommended selecting Kimley Horn as the most qualified firm to complete this project.
• Adjourned the meeting in memory of former Officer Randy Seay.
