Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is talking about reforming the city's longstanding restrictions on alcohol. Writer Luke Garrett puts in his pitch for relaxed zoning to allow an old-fashioned pub in his neighborhood.
"In order to be "walkable," urban neighborhoods need to offer all kinds of services. In a survey commissioned by the City Council last summer, 87 percent of city residents want businesses within walking distance of their home.
I have two pleas: one for the neighborhood and one for downtown.
Andy's Place, a "tavern" at the corner of 500 East and 300 South, wants to become a Class D private club. Under Utah law, this would allow it to serve hard liquor. This busy downtown neighborhood is zoned residential-mixed use (R-MU), a category meant to "allow integration of medium-density residential and small-business uses at ground floor levels."
This area should have a neighborhood pub. We don't want a "private club" -- the more public, the better. As in the 9th & 9th neighborhood or commercial corners in the Avenues, such businesses can become assets to neighborhoods, providing a place for residents to meet and relax. The "Cheers"-like establishment is a space for community-building.
We weaken our neighborhoods by not allowing pubs to thrive, and endanger the public by making people drive out of their neighborhood to get a drink."
Read the full story: Three cheers for the friendly neighborhood pub
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