TO: Mark Washington, City Manager - Grand Rapids, MI

DATE:

June 1, 2021

TO:

Mark Washington, City Manager

COMMITTEE: Committee of the Whole

LIAISON:

Mark Washington, City Manager

FROM:

Louis T. Canfield, Chief of Staff Executive Office

SUBJECT:

Resolution revising the existing Downtown Grand Rapids Social District to include additional commons area in the vicinity of Bridge Street and Stocking Avenue

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact the local Grand Rapids business community, especially restaurants and bars. Even as the vaccination rate increases, demand for outdoor dining is expected to remain high due to changing indoor occupancy restrictions and consumer health expectations.

On May 21, 2020, the City Commission established a "COVID-19 Recovery" special event (proceeding 89878). That resolution designated the entire City as the general extent of the event, authorized the issuance of individual permits for multiple "Social Zone" outdoor dining areas as part of the event, and provided a general framework of rules and regulations for operations within Social Zones. On March 9, 2021, the COVID19 Recovery event was extended to November 1, 2021 (proceeding 90618).

On July 21, 2020, as authorized by Michigan Public Act 124 of 2020, the City Commission designated two Social Districts ? one of which was the Downtown Grand Rapids Social District ? containing Commons Areas where purchasers may consume alcoholic beverages sold by multiple qualified Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) licensees who obtain an MLCC Social District Permit (proceeding 90066). (Note: this concept is distinct from, but may overlap with, the City's Social Zones.)

On April 27, 2021, the City Commission revised the designation of the Downtown Grand Rapids Social District by merging the three previously distinct Commons Areas into a single Commons Area and by adding a provision to the City's Social Districts designation to "exclude premises authorized by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission under a special license during the effective period of the special license" (proceeding 90744).

During the past month, Retail Retention and Attraction Specialist Richard App identified additional businesses in the vicinity of Bridge and Stocking that would like to participate in a Social District. While a new Social District designation was considered, that approach would have resulted in several problematic issues, including the need to transfer already-participating businesses to the new district and the inability of visitors to carry alcoholic beverages between adjacent districts. Rather than designating a new district adjacent to the existing Downtown Grand Rapids Social District, City staff have worked with Mr. App and partner staff at Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. on a proposal to extend the existing district to include those businesses. A map of the revised Downtown Grand Rapids Social District is attached to this agenda item.

City staff will be available to answer your questions about the proposed resolution at the City Commission meeting on June 1, 2021. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

..

YOUR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE recommends adoption of the following resolution revising the existing Downtown Grand Rapids Social District to include additional commons area in the vicinity of Bridge Street and Stocking Avenue.

WHEREAS:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause unprecedented economic disruption worldwide and within our local business community; and

2. Restaurants and bars, which have been key contributors to the vitality of downtown and neighborhood business districts have been, and will continue to be, hard-hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic; and

3. Continued availability of outdoor dining space will help downtown and neighborhood business districts to recover; and

4. The City Commission previously authorized the City Manager, or designee, to permit Social Zones through November 1, 2021; and

5. Public Act 124 of 2020 empowers the City Commission to enhance Social Zones by designating them as Social Districts with Commons Areas where purchasers may consume alcoholic beverages sold by multiple qualified Michigan Liquor Control Commission licensees who obtain Social District Permits; and

6. The City Commission designated the Downtown Grand Rapids Social District on July 21, 2020 and revised the designation on April 27, 2021; and

7. Additional business near the Downtown Grand Rapids Social District would like to participate in a Social District; and

8. Extending the existing Downtown Grand Rapids Social District to include the additional businesses will avoid the need to transfer already participating businesses to the new district and will enable visitors to carry alcoholic beverages from the additional businesses to the previously designated Commons Areas; and

9. The City Commission has considered the potential impact of the proposed changes to Social Districts on public health, safety, and welfare; therefore

RESOLVED:

1. That Downtown Grand Rapids Social District containing Commons Areas is designated within the limits shown on the attached map; and

2. That the Commons Areas within the Social District shall be as noted on the attached maps with the City Manager, or designee, authorized to make minor reasonable

adjustments to the limits of the Commons Areas required by regulatory or operational requirements, or to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare; and

3. That each Commons Area is contiguous to at least 2 qualified licensees; and

4. That signage shall be placed to define and clearly mark the limits of the Commons Areas; and

5. That the City-designated Social Zones shall remain as permitted (subject to permit modifications) within the Social District; and

6. That the management and maintenance plan for each Commons Area, including the hours of operation, shall be the same as for the corresponding permitted Social Zone; and

7. That the Commons Areas shall be maintained in a manner that protects the health and safety of the community; and

8. That the Social District shall exclude premises authorized by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission under a special license during the effective period of the special license; and

9. That this resolution supersedes any conflicting provision of City Commission proceeding 90744.

Prepared by Louis T. Canfield

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THIS AREA

REFER TO PAGE 2

PROPOSED NEW COMMONS AREA ADDED TO ORIGINALLY

AUTHORIZED 2020 COMMONS

AREA: BRIDGE/MICHIGAN STREET CONNECTING BRIDGE STREET TO DOWNTOWN. INDICATED WITH

PROPOSED NEW COMMONS AREA ADDED TO ORIGINALLY

AUTHORIZED 2020 COMMONS

AREA: STOCKING AVE FROM BRIDGE

ST TO 2ND ST INDICATED WITH

2nd St.

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THIS AREA REFER

TO PAGE 6

Fremont Ave.

1st St. Douglas St.

Chatham St.

Jackson St.

Marion Ave. Pine Ave. Lane Ave.

PROPOSED NEW COMMONS AREA ADDED TO ORIGINALLY

AUTHORIZED 2020 COMMONS

AREA: BRIDGE ST FROM GOLD AVE TO PINE AVE INDICATED WITH

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THIS AREA

REFER TO PAGE 5

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THIS AREA

REFER TO PAGE 4

Pettibone Ave.

Indiana Ave. Straight Ave. National Ave. Gold Ave. Lexington Ave.

Jennette Ave. Alpine Ave. Davis Ave. Seward St.

12th St.

11th St.

9th St. 7th St.

5th St. 4th St.

Stocking Ave.

3rd St. 2nd St. 1st St.

Milwaukee Ave. Cadwell Ave.

Sibley St.

Douglas St. Chatham St.

Lake Michigan Dr. California St. Veto St.

Gold Ave. Lexington Ave.

National Ave.

Straight Ave.

Indiana Ave.

Butterworth St.

Emperor St. Letellier St.

Wealthy St.

Olive Ave. Gelock Pl.

Davis Ave. Seward St.

Seward St. Winter Ave.

Front St.

Alabama Ave.

Winter Ave. Mt. Vernon Ave.

Davis Ave. Muskegon Ave. Seward St. Elizabeth Ave. Hamilton Ave. Brodway Ave. Turner Ave. Scribner Ave. Front Ave.

Leonard St.

9th St.

7th St. 6th St. 5th St. 4th St.

Brodway Ave. Turner Ave.

10th St. 8th St.

Ottawa Ave. Bond Ave.

Frank St.

Mason St. Fairbanks St.

Trowbridge St.

Coit Ave.

Livingston Ave. Hester Pl.

Fairview Ave.

College Ave. Ionia Ave.

Leonard St. Barnett St.

Carrier St.

Leonard St.

Coldbrook St.

Newberry St. Fairbanks St.

Coit Ave.

Clancy Ave.

Lafayette Ave.

Matilda St. Bradford St.

Prospect Ave.

North Ave.

Hubert St. Coldbrook St.

Cedar St. Walnut St. Shirley St.

Hopson St. Bradford St.

More St.

Lydia St. Bissell St.

Sinclair Ave. North Ave.

Prospect Ave.

Lafayette Ave.

Clancy Ave.

Trowbridge St.

Front Ave. Monroe Ave.

Ionia Ave.

Scribner Ave.

Sinclair Ave.

Dexter Pl.

Division Ave.

Portsmouth Pl

College Ave.

1st St.

Hastings St.

Coit Ave.

W. Fulton St. Watson St.

Summer Ave. Mt. Vernon Ave.

Market Ave.

Bridge St.

Ford Museum

GR Public Museum Front Ave.

DeVos Place

DeVos Performance

Hall

Calder Plaza

Campau Ave. Ottawa Ave.

Ionia Ave.

Pearl St. Monroe Center St.

GRAM

Louis St.

E. Fulton St.

Weston St.

VanAndel Arena

Ottawa Ave.

Oakes St.

Weston St.

Winchester Pl. Ionia Ave. Ottawa Ave.

Sheldon Ave.

Lyon St. Fountain St.

Library St.

Weston St. Oakes St.

Ransom Ave.

Je erson Ave.

John St.

LaGrave Ave.

Division Ave. Commerce Ave.

Cherry St.

Finney Ave.

Williams St. Bartlett St.

Wealthy St. King St.

Logan St.

Grandville Ave. Ionia St.

Central Station

Williams St. Bartlett St. Goodrich St.

Downtown Market

McConnell St.

Maple St. Goodrich St. Wealthy St.

Je erson Ave.

Cherry St.

Sheldon Ave.

Logan St.

Ney Ave.

Lafayette Ave. Cass Ave.

Ghilda Pl. Lafayette Ave. Claremont Pl. Barclay Ave.

Prospect Ave. Lafayette Ave.

Madison Ave.

College Ave. Morris Ave. Madison Ave. Prospect Ave.

Gay Ave. Prospect Ave.

Madison Ave.

Michigan St. Vineland Pl.

Crescent St. Lyon St.

Fountain St.

E. Fulton St. Washington St.

State St.

Wealthy St. Logan St.

College Ave.

Paris Ave.

Union Ave.

Union Ave.

Union Ave.

DOWNTOWN SOCIAL DISTRICT

DISTRICT + COMMONS AREA LOCATION MAP AND OVERVIEW

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS SOCIAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS COMMONS AREA INDICATED WITH

PROPOSED NEW COMMONS AREA ADDED TO

ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED 2020 COMMONS

AREA: MONROE AVENUE CONNECTING MONROE NORTH TO DOWNTOWN. INDICATED WITH

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THIS AREA

REFER TO PAGE 3

PROPOSED NEW COMMONS AREA ADDED TO

ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED 2020 COMMONS

AREA: VAN ANDEL ARENA PLAZA. INDICATED WITH

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS COMMONS AREA INDICATED WITH

LaGrave Ave.

Union Ave. Paris Ave. College Ave. Morrison Ave.

Prospect Ave.

Godfrey Ave. SW

Pleasant St. SW

Graham St. SW

Grant St. SW

MLCC SOCIAL DISTRICT DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

PERMIT PLANS + ILLUSTRATIVES

Grandville Ave. Century Ave. SW

Ionia St.

Buckley St. Pleasant St. SW

Division Ave.

sheldon Ave.

Cass Ave. Je erson Ave.

Pleasant St.

not to scale

25 MAY 2021

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS SOCIAL DISTRICT: OVERVIEW 1

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