Drink Up: Decatur Extends Open Container Law Until September

DECATUR, GA — Decatur City Commission made it possible Monday for Decatur residents — and anyone else taking a stroll in the city — to walk around Decatur Square with a beer, margarita or glass of wine in hand for the rest of the summer.

The commission voted Monday to extend its open container ordinance through Sept. 7, which allows residents to drink their favorite alcoholic drink while walking around in any of the city's five commercial districts. The city initially passed this temporary ordinance in October to help local restaurants provide alternate dining and drinking options amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Downtown Program Manager Shirley Baylis said the city sent out an email survey to restaurant owners and received positive feedback that extending the ordinance would continue helping them by offering an option to drink outside and remain socially distanced.

"We have had conversation with several businesses ... that say this has been a great plus and a great help to them," Baylis said during the meeting.

The city is also exploring options to make this temporary law a permanent one. During Monday's meeting, Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett said the city will monitor outdoor gatherings under this ordinance and make sure it's not encouraging large crowds as the weather gets warmer.

Alterations to the law are possible of large crowds form consistently because of the ordinance extension.

"If we see some behavior that we don't want to see attached to this, then there are additional tweaks we might need to make in response," Garrett said during the meeting.

The districts are as follows: Downtown Decatur Business District; East College Business District; Oakhurst Business District; Old Depot District; and West Ponce Business District. Restaurants have to pour the alcohol into approved plastic cups to sell to patrons, who will also get a wristband to wear while drinking outside.

Open container alcohol sales are now allowed Fridays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. through Sept. 7.

You can see where the ordinance applies in the map below.

The city also approved a $450,000 purchase for 1.2 acres at 216 Green Street from Agnes Scott College at Monday's meeting. The parcel is adjacent to the existing PATH Foundation's Trolley Trail and will be preserved as city greenspace.

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