WILLITS COULD SOON HAVE an “entertainment zone” downtown where people would be allowed to have open containers of alcohol at approved events like outdoor festivals or farmers markets.
The Willits City Council discussed a draft ordinance on the issue last week. According to a report by city staff to the council, entertainment zones could “create a positive economic impact by encouraging visitors to spend more time downtown, increasing customer traffic for restaurants, retailers, and entertainment venues, and attracting new cultural and community events. In turn, this can strengthen the local economy, generate sales tax revenue, and enhance the city’s position as a regional destination for dining and entertainment.”
Senate Bill 969, which went into effect in January, allows cities to create entertainment zone ordinances that reflect their communities’ needs. During the Aug. 27 Willits City Council meeting, there was a consensus among council members and the audience that Willits needs to brainstorm ideas to reinvigorate the local economy, especially after a vast decrease in tourists following the creation of the Willits Bypass, a section of U.S. Highway 101 that diverts travelers away from downtown.
Willits Mayor Tom Allman, a proponent of the ordinance, said in an interview how an entertainment zone in downtown Willits would allow locals and tourists to have the freedom of walking around with a drink at an event, and not feel constricted while visiting different businesses with an open container.
“This is so people don’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops so people can have the freedom to enjoy their Friday or Saturday night, going to vendors, and walking around downtown Willits with a beer in their hand,” Allman said. “We are just trying to codify it to make everyone’s life easier.”
Defining the zone
While the Willits City Council and city staff are not sure of the exact area to be included in the draft ordinance, the council members did mention the benefits of turning an area that includes the empty lot near the Flying Dog Wood Fired Pizza & Vinyl restaurant, a street that includes several local hotspots, into the entertainment zone.
Caroline Rehberger, who has worked as the manager of Flying Dog for several years and is set to buy the restaurant by the end of this year, said in an interview how this ordinance could help small business owners like herself participate in public events like Willits Frontier Days, and be able to sell beers that can be carried to other businesses nearby.
“As it stands right now, during public events people can only consume the alcohol that we sell them on our property,” Rehberger explained. “What this would give us an opportunity to do is to sell offsite drinks. This is just a way to relax things a little bit.”
“If the event is supposed to be family-friendly, but then it also involves alcohol, I don’t think those two things mix very well.” Councilmember Larry Stranske
However, some City Council members questioned whether an entertainment zone would be appropriate for “family-friendly” events in downtown Willits.
“If the event is supposed to be family-friendly, but then it also involves alcohol, I don’t think those two things mix very well,” said former mayor and current Councilmember Larry Stranske. “I don’t think those two things mix very well, except maybe at Frontier Days, where they put fences around the place where they sell the alcohol beverages.”
According to the draft ordinance for the proposed entertainment zone, there are several stipulations that would guarantee safety and limit alcoholic beverages at outdoor festivals or markets. One requirement is that only vendors with both a valid city-issued alcohol license and a license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control may sell alcohol at an event.
Another stipulation is that only designated beverage containers, which cannot be glass or metal, are allowed, and those containers must display the entertainment zone logo. For example, if the event were hosted by the Willits Chamber of Commerce, the cups would need to display their emblem.
Looking to other cities
According to John Kvasnicka, a volunteer event coordinator with the Willits Chamber of Commerce, there are several cities in California and elsewhere that have already passed similar ordinances, and Willits could simply follow their lead. The Willits Chamber of Commerce was the first business to bring the idea to the Willits City Council.
“There are lots of examples online that have done this. San Francisco is doing it in some of their communities,” Kvasnicka said in an interview. “You can also have multiple entertainment zones in a community.”
For Rehberger, who is both excited and nervous to become the owner of the Flying Dog, the proposed ordinance isn’t just about downtown events and the open consumption of alcohol. She said the proposal is about promoting Willits as a destination for tourists and locals alike.
As a young business owner, Rehberger wants all members of the community — from older adults to young people — to feel like Willits is a place to relax, enjoy food, and spend time with friends and family.
“One of the things I am trying to build with the brick and mortar is a place where people can hang out,” Rehberger said. “I think we are seeing growth right now. I really think downtown Willits is about to pop off, and I have high hopes that it’s going to be a place where people want to come to.”
The Willits City Council will be discussing a revised draft of the entertainment zone ordinance at its next meeting on Sept. 10.
The Willits City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the Council Chambers at 111 E. Commercial St. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. Public comments can be emailed to council members or by calling (707) 459-4601.
This story originally appeared in The Mendocino Voice.