KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kalamazoo is the latest city to allow an outdoor drinking area, or “social district.” The area will cover designated spots downtown.
During a virtual meeting Monday night, Commissioners spoke with Deputy City Manager Jeff Chamberlain and Andrew Haan of the Downtown Kalamazoo Partnership about the matter.
“This is a new tool that the State of Michigan has just created,” Chamberlain said. “Cities are now going into the process adopting this throughout the state.”
Chamberlain said that the area would cover the Kalamazoo Mall from the north end down to the Blue Dolphin restaurant on Burdick Street, as well as Michigan Avenue from the Radisson hotel to the Wild Bull bar.
According to city documents, patrons could take a drink into the commons area, wander about, shop in store, browse a gallery, or pause to enjoy their drink on a bench or table in the public realm. A commons area could be established any place in the City that has three or more licensed establishments contiguous to the commons area.
Documents further state that the following businesses will fall under this district:
- Entertainment District (including The Gatsby, Wild Bull, District Square, Skydeck and Loft 310)
- Coney Island
- Tempo Vino
- Green Top Tavern
- Fuze
- Olde Peninsula
- Stamped Robin
- LFG
- The Wine Loft
- Final Gravity
- Radisson Plaza Hotel
- The Union
- Principle
- Rustica
- Taco Bob’s
- Central City Tap House
- Tibb’s Brewing Company
- The State Theatre
- Harvey’s on the Mall
- Papa Pete’s
Haan also stated that the district plan is similar to those in Ohio.
“A similar law has been in place for five years called a ‘designated outdoor refreshment area,’” Haan said. “They’ve been very successful in Toledo and Dayton and a number of other cities.”
Districts for these purposes may be established in other areas later on, Haan said.
In order to participate, an establishment within the district must meet the following requirements:
- the container prominently displays the social district permittee’s trade name or logo or some other mark that is unique to the social district permittee’s on-premises license;
- the container prominently displays a logo or some other mark that is unique to the commons area;
- the container is not glass; and
- the container has a liquid capacity that does not exceed 16 ounces
“We really felt like any options that are afforded us by law should be entertained, and we’re confident in the feedback we’ve heard that this will be successful in doing that,” Haan said.
The area will be maintained by Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership, which will be handling any seating, tables, and related furnishings, trash and recycling removal, and other factors.
“This law was designed to be an economic recovery tool,” Haan said. “Obviously, our restaurants, bars and hospitality businesses have been hit really hard statewide, in particular in Kalamazoo. We did some survey work with them over the last month, and the situation is very challenging. We have a number that are either concerned or very concerned about permanent closure, a number that have laid people off and have not brought people back. This was designed as an additional measure to create some additional social distancing space outside. We did survey customers as well, and found that 92% are more comfortable in an outside space.”
Since the proposal qualified as an emergency measure, it needed the vote of five commissioners to pass.
Ultimately, the motion was passed. The new social district will go into effect immediately.
The hours for the outdoor social district are listed as seven days a week, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, and 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
A diagram of the district can be viewed online at this link.
