Beaufort considering downtown ‘social district’ in the New Year
Beaufort officials are weighing the creation of a social district in the new year, which would permit people to drink beer and wine while walking and shopping through a defined downtown block.
The initiative comes from one of the city’s priorities to bring more people downtown, allowing merchants to stay open later in the evenings, wrote Beaufort City Manager Scott Marshall in response to questions from the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
Liquor is not under consideration, Marshall said.
City staff have met with representatives from groups representing business, tourism and hospitality interests in the Beaufort area about creating the district. Officials plan to meet with downtown business owners in mid-January to gauge their support and discuss how it would operate.
Until then, Marshall said he would “prefer not to discuss” potential geographical boundaries of the district.
The concept will be discussed with the public and City Council during a Jan. 27 work session. The idea is to establish a trial run period starting in March, Marshall said.
The potential social district would come to downtown in the midst of the $9.7 million storm drainage project in the historic district that closed the intersection at Charles and Bay streets.
