Gibsonville’s board of aldermen, which had voted this spring to create an “event-based” social drinking district, voted 4-1 this week to expand the social drinking district to operate every weekend, between Thursdays and Saturdays.
Alderman Paul Dean cast the lone vote against.
Bryant Crisp, Irene Fanelli, Tangela Mitchell, and Mark Shepherd voted in favor.
The town’s amended ordinance establishes a permanent social drinking district with hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
The board had set a public hearing for its July 15 meeting.
Monday night’s brief public hearing elicited support from Al Ciarochi, of 108 White Poplar Drive, Gibsonville, as well as a couple of other speakers, one of whom identified herself as an owner of Brew Stop, a “bottle shop” and bar along East Main Street in Gibsonville.
Town manager Ben Baxley said during an initial discussion about expanding the hours of operation that the town board had received and approved requests for: April 11 (Gibsonville Girls Night); June 1 and 15 for “Groovin’ on the Green” concerts; and June 19 (Juneteenth Celebration).
Baxley said Monday night that the ordinance amendment would include a stipulation requiring proper signage, apparently outlining the rules and boundaries for the district.
“It is a positive step forward in creating a live, work, play type of environment,” Ciarochi said during the public hearing Monday night. “I think that this proposal just makes sense by setting it permanently; the fact that you guys have to propose and approve them individually seems very cumbersome.
“I think from an education awareness standpoint, this is the right next step,” Ciarochi declared. I think from an enforcement level, public safety, being able to have a temporary permanent sign you can put up so that citizens just know on certain days, times the social district is in effect, that’s easy to remember.”
However, Alamance News publisher Tom Boney, Jr. questioned the potential impact that expanding the hours for the social drinking district could have on family-friendly events, particularly those centered around the Christmas season.
“As I understand it the days that will be listed, rather than doing it event-based, would these conclude the current, I would say very family-friendly, events – Lighting of the Green, which is usually on a Friday night, and the Gibsonville Christmas parade, which is usually on a Saturday afternoon?” Boney asked the aldermen Monday night.
“I would suggest that the board include a stipulation that it not include these dates,” the publisher urged. “It would seem that the town would run a very great risk of turning what had been very popular into the possibility – underscore the possibility – of having too much drinking during both of those events and I think it would be on those particular nights and dates, a negative for the town.”
One speaker commented that Gibsonville has already increased police presence in the downtown area during special events.
Another speaker suggested that maybe the board could “pass it, wait a month or two, see how it goes,” and revisit the expanded hours if needed.
“I think we also have to consider there really are a number of family events,” Fanelli responded. “You have the fall festival; you have the National Night Out. I want to be careful; I think it’s a wonderful question – I really do.
“I also remember back to when first we talked about this, I know that I specifically said it was a great idea to do a trial run before we were to try to do it full-scale,” Fanelli elaborated. “So we’ve kind of had this in the back of the thought, the whole time. I think we’ve had the idea of let’s kind of wait and see. I don’t want it to be a trial to the extent that we get in trouble and it kills everything. I think the police department has been very clear to us there’ve been no problems so far. I think we could get ourselves in trouble. I think we’re good unless we get an event that really makes us rethink.”
Dean, for his part, countered that not everyone who comes downtown drinks – and might not want to be around those who do. “I’ve operated a business here for over 35 years; I don’t have anything against any business. Now you’re asking to do it every weekend.
“My point is, what about people like us that don’t drink and go into these stores and get pizzas and stuff?” Dean continued. “I’ve been eating pizza at [Pete’s and] Jack’s for 30 years; I want a weekend where I don’t have to worry about people walking down the road drinking – just one weekend a month.”
Fanelli subsequently introduced a motion to amend the ordinance from “event-based to every weekend barring any issues that [force the board] to change it at some later time.”
The motion to amend Gibsonville’s ordinance to expand the hours of operation for the social drinking district passed 4-1.
