By Doug Marrin
Dexter Community Development Manager Michelle Aniol outlined the opening of Dexter’s social district at the City Council’s December 28, 2020, meeting.
A social district is that area within a city where the state allows local government to establish common areas for people to consume alcoholic beverages purchased from an establishment licensed to serve such. Social districts in Michigan are designed to help offset the capacity restrictions for bars and restaurants that sell alcohol. Last summer, Governor Whitmer signed into law the Social District Act allowing Michigan cities to utilize social districts.
“If I can get the inspections from the Building Department and DAFD, we could be open over the New Year weekend,” Aniol told the Council. “That's my goal at this point.”
Downtown Dexter has four businesses licensed to serve alcoholic drinks—The Dexter Pub, The Beer Grotto, Aubrees, and Erratic Ales. The Fillmore has temporarily closed until COVID safety restrictions allow them to reopen for indoor dining. The social district connects Dexter’s four participating establishments.
While folks can consume alcohol anywhere in the social district, the City has designated two consumption areas for gathering and socializing.
The first consumption area will be the parking lot between The Beer Grotto and Dairy Queen. The City will erect a tent at this site in the next few weeks with tables, chairs, and heaters. The second consumption area will be the Clocktower Plaza on the corner of Broad and Main. No tent will be at this site, but tables and chairs will be available.
The City will designate the social district’s boundaries with signs and barricades. Dexter’s four participating businesses will use special labels for alcoholic drinks purchased to go. No packaged alcohol may be brought into a social district or alcohol from a business outside the designated area.
“The other thing with the social district that we're working on is a way to get other food businesses involved,” said Aniol. As it is, we only have four that have liquor licenses, but we have a number of other businesses in our downtown, that can provide carryout or are providing carryout food service.”
“It's a way to include all those other businesses,” she adds.
The City is pushing hard to have the social districts up (without a tent) for the New Year’s weekend. The City will announce by email and other news outlets when the social districts are open for use.