You may soon be able to walk around Barefoot Landing with a beer in your hand
North Myrtle Beach officials are moving forward on a proposed law that would allow the public consumption of alcoholic beverages in certain areas.
City Council members passed the first reading of a proposed ordinance on Monday that would amend several sections of the city’s alcoholic beverages law after representatives from Burroughs & Chapin Co., which owns Barefoot Landing, requested the city allow beer and wine to be publicly consumed on parts of their land.
If approved, the ordinance would establish a festival zone, which would allow shopping and entertainment destinations of 10 or more acres to apply for a special designation to permit public alcohol use. The ordinance would require beer and wine be consumed in a clear plastic cup, while prohibiting other alcoholic beverages within the festival zone, in accordance with state law.
“I’m not adverse to the proposed ordinance,” said Jay Fernandez, Ddirector of Public Safety. “As with anything else, how it is implemented will be key to its value for the community, and we would have a lot of checks and balances for this one.”
The application process would require property owners to submit a map depicting the exact boundaries of the desired festival zone, including accurate depictions of parking lot locations, traffic circulation aisles, pedestrian facilities and all buildings. Property owners also would need to provide a detailed narrative of how the property owner would manage the possession and consumption of beer and wine within the regulated zone.
The property owner would need to submit a permit application to Fernandez and City Manager Mike Mahaney for review and comment. Both would then issue a recommendation to the city council at least 30 days prior to their meeting to consider the permit request.
“The application process for a permit for a festival zone would be thorough and would require the city manager and my review, and then a recommendation to City Council,” Fernandez said.
If city officials approve the permit request for a festival zone, Mahaney would monitor compliance of the approved plan. If the permit holder violates the terms or parameters of an approved festival zone, Mahaney has the authority to suspend or revoke a festival zone permit, the ordinance states.
The ordinance still needs to pass a second reading before it becomes law.
This story was originally published February 5, 2019 at 5:07 PM.
