(WWJ) The City of Ferndale has given the go-ahead to a plan to allow outdoor social drinking districts, beginning in April.
Ferndale City Council unanimously approved the proposal for two "patio zones" — one on each side of Woodward Avenue — within which patrons will be allowed to buy, drink, and walk around with alcoholic beverages outdoors.
According to Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Director Lena Stevens, businesses would have to pay for a liquor permit and buy special cups in order to participate.
Supporters say these districts give the hospitality industry another tool to help make up for the financial losses suffered during the COVID-19 crisis, and allow people to space out outdoors.
However: "There is some uncertainty with this," Stevens acknowledged. "We don't exactly know how well it's gonna work, if were gonna have safety hazards, if it's gonna be great, if it's gonna be well-received, that it's gonna help make money."
Ferndale Mayor Melania Piana admitted that the idea gives her "heartburn" but is worth a try with so many bars and restaurants in the city struggling to survive during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I believe that if social districts offer a tool to support those restaurants and support those businesses as they recover, as they heal in 2021, I think we owe it to them to try."
The patio zones would be open Thursday to Sunday, and have a strict 10 p.m. closing time.
This all comes after cocktails-to-go and designated drinking districts were legalized in Michigan under bi-partisan bills passed by the state Legislature, and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last summer.
Chris Best, the owner of the Rust Belt Market, is looking forward to participating.
"It's actually a savior for some of us that have gone into a deep financial hole that we're digging out of," he told WWJ's Sandra McNeill. "And this could be an answer to some of our major problems."
"For us personally, our business, (restrictions prohibiting) events greater than 10 people has been a boat anchor," Best added.
Clarkston, Farmington, Holly, Lake Orion, Pontiac and Northville have all opened social districts to cope with the pandemic. There's also a plan in the works for a similar setup in downtown Mount Clemens.
