Weighing the pros and cons of social districts for Waynesville

Mar. 13—Waynesville leaders will soon be asking the public to weigh in on the idea of social districts where people can buy an alcoholic drink to-go and walk around with it.

Merchants and restaurateurs are already chiming in to voice their support for social districts as an economic generator that would drive business not only for the bars, but all the shops.

"Instead of parking and going in to eat, people would have the option of strolling around," said Jessica Garrick, the owner of The Southern Loft on Main Street. "I think the community would enjoy that. I think it would be fun."

SEE ALSO

What exactly is a social district, and where does the town board stand on it? See this companion article.

Morgan Crisp, a co-owner of Frog Level Brewing, believes a social district could be a catalyst for more retail shops to open in Frog Level.

"If you want to have a drink, instead of sitting in a restaurant for two hours sipping a beer, you can go explore. It offers a lot more freedom," said Crisp. "There would be more foot traffic, which creates more of a buzz."

Bar and restaurant owners said a social district would be particularly appealing during street festivals and events, when the crowds far exceed capacity.

"People all want to get in and out at a certain time, and we can't fit them because we're already full with patrons," said Bert Austin, general manager at Birchwood Hall on Main Street. "If people could pop in and get a couple of beers to take with them, we wouldn't lose that business and they are getting what they want."

Kelsie Baker of Boojum Brewing Co. said she would be all for a social district during festivals.

"Being able to enjoy a drink while walking down the street would add another layer of fun. It's something special you don't normally get to do," Baker said. "And it would be great to get to share our product with more festival goers, especially with the long wait times."

Even on non-festival days, some restaurant owners relish the opportunity to turn over more tables. If people were allowed to take their drinks with them, they wouldn't have to linger at the table after their meal, Austin said.

"They can't take it with them so they are sitting there sipping on their drink," he said.

'Can of worms'

Not everyone is a fan of bringing social districts to Waynesville, however.

"I think it is crazy because it is opening up a can of worms," said Sherry Morgan, who lives in a residential neighborhood adjacent to downtown. "My concern is how they are going to control it."

Morgan envisions a host of problems that could arise, from public intoxication to underage drinking.

"When they walk out with a drink, who could they be handing it to? Is someone going to go around on the street checking their ages? We don't have the police force to do that," Morgan said.

But one of her biggest fears is that homeless people would be encouraged to sit around on the street drinking. In social districts, alcohol can only be consumed from a plastic cup clearly labeled with the name of the establishment it was purchased from. But what's to stop a homeless person from picking up a discarded cup and using it for their own alcohol, Morgan said.

"You can't discriminate between the population that's going to be drinking publicly," Morgan said.

Peggy Hannah, a Hazelwood resident, shares that concern.

"With the homeless population, I do not feel it is in the best interest of the town," Hannah said. "There are too many negative things that could occur. We have plenty of establishments where anyone can go in and take a 15 minute break and have a cold beer."

Ellen Pitt with the WNC chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving questioned the wisdom of encouraging drinking.

"I think that an alcohol saturated community is doomed to fail, and I say this from almost two decades of reviewing the courts," said Pitt, who has witnessed alcohol as an underlying factor in crime, domestic abuse, child neglect and social ills in general. "I certainly wish that our elected and appointed officials would put one-tenth of the time and energy they spend on alcohol promotion into sober family and children's activities."

Next steps

Whether to enact social districts is ultimately up to Waynesville's town board. It would only take a "yes" vote from three of the five town board members to pass.

There would be numerous decision points, however, like whether to limit social districts to festivals and special events only. If they are limited to events, which ones? There are parades, block parties, street dances, band performances, car shows, races and even Treats on the Street at Halloween.

Another question is where to draw the boundary lines. Town leaders are exploring the idea of three social districts: the downtown Main Street area, Frog Level and Hazelwood.

Jeremiah Smith, who sits on the Downtown Waynesville Advisory Committee, said it would be a mistake to create two separate districts for Frog Level and downtown, however. People would have to pour out their drinks before walking the two blocks that separate them.

"Why isolate those two areas? If people can't experience the town in its fullest, and we can't glue this together as a cohesive visitor experience, we are going to get in our own way," said Smith.

Smith is among the growing number of people who live in upstairs apartments on Main Street, but he isn't concerned about the prospect of revelry in the streets creating a disturbance.

"The impact should be minimal," Smith said. "I would be more concerned about the greater good of making Waynesville more attractive. It's not just a daytime shopping destination or eat dinner and leave."