Ballet Folklorico Moyocoyani Izel, Inc. took to the street for multiple performances, showcasing present traditional folk dances during the Cinco de Mayo festival on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in downtown Imlay City. (MLive file photo)Jake May | jmay2@mlive.com
IMLAY CITY, MI – Imlay City is looking to establish its first ever social district in an effort to bring life back into its downtown area.
The Imlay City Commission will consider a resolution to create a social district during its Tuesday, Feb. 18, meeting at the city’s offices, located at 150 N. Main St.
“From an economic standpoint, we’re looking at every opportunity, and there’s a lot of successful communities that have social districts,” Imlay City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Director Christine Malzahn said. “We’re hoping that we can share in that success.”
There are two existing social districts in Lapeer County – downtown Lapeer and Almont – Malzahn said.
Anyone within Imlay City’s social district would be able to purchase alcoholic beverages from a licensed provider in the district and legally carry them throughout the city’s commons areas such as sidewalks and parks.
“The streets aren’t included in that unless it’s a special event,” Malzahn said. “They could grab a cocktail, and they could come to the concert in the park over in Lamb Steele. Or they could grab a cocktail, and they could go shopping in the farmers market area.”
The social district would include commons areas along portions of Third Street, Depot Drive, North Main Street, Bancroft Street, and Almont Avenue in downtown Imlay City.
“We opted to include all of the commercial B2 zoning, our traditional downtown buildings, as part of the district,” Malzahn said. “The only area that was chosen to be excluded was the community pool. There was some concern from the city commissioners because it’s more of a family environment.
“They would be more comfortable excluding alcohol consumption on its grounds, which is perfectly reasonable.”
If the resolution is approved, the city is looking to implement the social district by this summer.
The idea to establish a social district was initially introduced to the city by police Chief Brett Selby, who said he believes the district would make the downtown area more “vibrant” and in turn benefit area businesses.
Selby came up with the idea for the social district after seeing social districts in other communities throughout the state, including Grand Rapids, Ludington, and Saugatuck.
“There’s an old historical plaque that said there was 32 businesses in the downtown. Now, we’d be lucky if we had a dozen,” Selby said. “And it shouldn’t be going backwards, it should be going forwards.”
While he admits it may be surprising to some, Selby is not concerned about allowing open alcohol consumption in certain parts of the city, noting very few alcohol related incidents occur in existing social districts.
“We have seen interest in properties, land for development, and I mean some pretty significant development. And we want to be able to get ahead of that, not only socioeconomically, but with the police department too,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a good thing, and the small risk is going to be worth big rewards.
“We’re listening to the community, and we’re trying to give the people what they want.”
Malzahn said the city hopes to use the social district as an “economic tool” in its efforts to attract new businesses to its downtown area and fill some of the vacant buildings there.
“That’s the catalyst then to encourage more business owners to want to come back to downtown Imlay City and open up those doors,” she said.
Residents have expressed “sort of mixed” feelings about plans for the social district, Malzahn said, but she noted the community has been waiting for something to revive the downtown area for quite some time.
“I just think there’s maybe a lot of skepticism that is this going to solve the problem,” Malzahn said. “We’re willing to give it a try.”
Downtown Imlay City has been growing since the COVID-19 pandemic and losing a couple of its “key anchor spots,” Malzahn said, including Third & Main Event Center which is now the Third & Main Social Club.
“We literally didn’t have a restaurant or a liquor license operating in downtown for a while,” Malzahn said.
Third & Main Social Club, located at 244 E. Third St., opened in January and is located within the proposed social district.
Owner Gjon Marku also owns BombBurgers & Breakfast, located at 1829 S. Cedar St. in Imlay City.
“I hope it’ll bring more people to the downtown area of Imlay City to give other businesses like myself a chance to showcase why we’re there,” Marku said. “Imlay City’s a good place. It’s just one of those cities in the area that gets forgotten about, and there’s a lot of good local businesses down there.
“Hopefully it will draw in a crowd there and attract not only customers, but it’ll attract other businesses to come and open there too.”
In addition to Third & Main Social Club, liquor license holders in the proposed social district include Botanas el Piaza, located at 234 E. 3rd St., and the Imlay City Fraternal Order of Eagles, located at 170 S. Almont Ave.
The Imlay City DDA has been developing a management plan for the city’s proposed social district.
It would be responsible for placing signage, expected to cost the city between $2,000-$3,000, at the boundaries of the social district which would display district regulations.
Alcoholic beverages consumed within the social district would have to be in 16-ounce cups purchased from the DDA by liquor license holders participating in the social district, and cups must be marked with the initials of the individual using them, the name of the establishment they originated from, and a sticker from the DDA.
“We’re going to hold an orientation for the business owners that we have so that they are aware of exactly what it entails,” Selby said.
The Imlay City Police Department won’t be constantly checking to see if every individual within the social district is complying with all its rules and regulations, but Selby emphasized the creation of the district would not mean alcohol related offenses would be tolerated.
“This is just simply crossing at the crosswalks, being cordial to your neighbors and, identifying all the different rules of the road,” Selby said. “It allows the ability to just be a little bit more open and friendly and inviting.”
If the resolution for the social district is approved, liquor license holders in the social district would be able to begin applying for social district permits through the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
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