A portion of downtown Poplar Bluff could be designated an entertainment district with an open cup ordinance under a proposal before city council members.
The Poplar Bluff City Council is expected to vote March 15 on the district, which would include portions of Vine and Moran streets.
The matter was discussed Monday night, along with a proposal to raise pet licensing fees.
The entertainment district would allow visitors to travel between downtown businesses with alcoholic beverages in specifically designated cups, explained Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc., Executive Director Morgan McIntosh.
It would allow the nightlife already found in the downtown area to continue, helping both existing businesses and planned businesses, McIntosh said.
The district would include Vine Street, between Sixth and Main streets, and Moran Street, between Vine and Cherry streets, according to city council documents.
Council member at-large Steve Davis questioned the proposed boundaries of the district and suggested the council spend more time studying the matter.
“I think it might need to be tweaked, restrict that district for the time being. Maybe we’re going too far, too fast,” Davis said, questioning if the open cup proposal should be in effect for 365 days a year, rather than by event as the current policy allows.
Ward 3 council member Barbara Horton questioned how the provisions of the ordinance would be overseen, while council member at-large Chris Taylor asked if an armband requirement should be in place to distinguish those of legal age to drink.
McIntosh said she believed the district would use brightly colored cups that could be easily distinguished, and that an armband provision could be added if the council wished.
Ward 4 council member Shane Cornman made a motion to move the matter to the next voting session as presented after hearing from speakers, including downtown business owners, who were in favor of the matter and urged the council to act.
“We’ve been working on downtown for a long time,” said Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter, adding, “We’ve got some serious momentum. If you can’t see that, you’ve got your head buried in the sand somewhere."
Halter commented on the number of people in the audience in support of the measure, and said the city has spent quite a bit of money to get downtown to this point.
The entertainment district was one of the suggestions brought back by a downtown consultant group hired by the city, he said.
“This is a strong recommendation from them,” Halter said. “I would encourage you not to go with what we already have... We need this, we need the businesses that are there... and the businesses that are looking to invest a lot of money into it.”
Downtown business owner Michael White said it recently took three months to reschedule a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Poplar Bluff due to the lengthy process required for permission to have alcohol at outside events downtown. White is an owner of Bronze Owl Brewing.
Francisco Esquivel has also said the change would be important for a restaurant he planned to bring to the downtown, Halter said.
“I think the positives of what could come out of this outweigh the negatives,” said Cornman. “And if there are some negatives, we can always go back.
“Downtown has had its issues and like he said, it needs all the help it can get. Why stop the momentum? Let’s move this forward.”
Mayor Robert Smith shared that he has seen similar efforts work well in other cities, including Jefferson City and St. Charles.
Pet licensing
Council members will also vote on a measure at their next meeting to increase pet licensing fees for cats and dogs. The fee is currently $2 per animal and does not cover the city’s cost of managing the paperwork, said city planner James Sisk.
The fee would be increased to $10 per spayed or neutered pet and $20 per unspayed or un-neutered animal, he said.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a contract for the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department to purchase 50 golf carts for five annual payments of approximately $36,000.
• Voted to enter an agreement with S.H. Smith & Company for construction observation services for reconstruction of the airport runway.
• Approved S.H. Smith & Company to provide materials testing and special inspections during construction of a police department on Shelby Road.