Black Mountain Town Council votes against downtown social district
Town to explore allowing outdoor alcohol consumption for special events
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 22, 2024
The Black Mountain Town Council voted, 3-2, on May 22, to deny the establishment of a downtown social district. The board instructed staff to explore methods that would allow outdoor alcohol consumption through special event permits. Photo by Fred McCormick
An ordinance that would have established a social district allowing public consumption of alcohol in a defined area was denied, 3-2, by the Black Mountain Town Council, in a May 22 special call meeting.
The proposal, first presented by local business owners in a May 13 public hearing, would have allowed beer, wine and mixed drinks to be consumed outdoors in most of downtown from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.
The initiative was proposed by White Horse Black Mountain director of operations Zach Hinkle and mortgage loan officer Judi Melton during the town council’s regular monthly meeting. The district, they told the town council in its regular monthly meeting, would support economic development and a July blues festival, organized by the nonprofit music venue and LEAF.
Hinkle and other business owners reiterated their support for the social district when the public hearing resumed nine days later, while other residents expressed concerns with the ordinance’s impact on neighboring establishments and character of the town.
“In my opinion, special events would be a good venue for us to follow, with some events, like Holly Jolly, being out,” Mayor Mike Sobol said. “I think this should be a thing for special events, let it go through the fall, and if the board wishes to address it again in December, we can.”
Town Councilmember Alice Berry was opposed to the establishment of the district.
“I remain against the social district,” she said. “The arguments for it are not convincing enough for me to feel like this is worth the concerns that have been raised.”
The district, she added, would not address relevant economic concerns in Black Mountain.
“There should be more professional jobs, workforce housing and balancing seasonal visitors,” Berry said. “I don’t see anything in this proposal that addresses those things in a way I would find significant.”
While council member Pam King remains a “long-term fan of the White Horse,” extending the discussion gave elected officials more time to consider additional perspectives regarding the proposal.
“It just came as a surprise to some people, and I got the impression from the many comments I heard that there are a lot of misconceptions about social districts,” she said.
The creation of a social district would not directly impact the ability of organizers to hold the blues festival this summer, she added.
“Personally, what I’d like to see is an educational forum on what is a social district, what are the parameters and what are our options,” King said. “I’m not against a social district, I just feel a little rushed. I’d like to suggest we just move forward with an educational opportunity and revisit it at another time.”
While allowing outdoor alcohol consumption specifically for the blue festival remained an option for Vice Mayor Archie Pertiller, Jr., the decision to create a social district that operates on a fixed schedule required additional information and feedback.
“I don’t have a problem with Cherry Street to Ridgeway for the blue festival,” he said. “But, I think we’re moving a little too quickly, as far as making it for the whole town at this time, without some research.”
The process for reviewing and approving the proposal felt “rushed,” according to Ryan Stone.
“From the time of our regular meeting to now, the amount of surprise calls, emails and conversations with people has been greater than a usual public hearing, so I think we need additional time,” he said. “I think we need to look at a special use permit that allows for alcohol consumption on town property, but at this point I don’t know if having a full-time social district is the appropriate thing to do.”
Doug Hay remained in favor of creating a pilot program for the district, which was discussed through much of the first half of the public hearing.
“I think there are a lot of unknowns and concerns, which I’m equally concerned about, but right now they’re just thoughts until we try it,” he said. “That’s why I was steering us towards a trial period, but that doesn’t sound like the direction the board wishes to go at this time.”
Hay, however, supported amending the town’s current special event ordinance to allow for alcohol.
“If you wanted to amend that special event ordinance, and put in there that alcohol could be allowed, that could be handled at the staff level,” Town Manager Josh Harrold told the council. “The applicant would have to check all the boxes with the Alcohol Law Enforcement and our police department.”
With a two-thirds majority vote required to adopt the ordinance, King called for a vote to deny the request, shortly after Stone left the meeting for an appointment. Stone’s vote was counted as affirmative in his absence.
King and Berry voted to deny the ordinance, while Pertiller and Hay voted against the motion.
Town council directed staff to explore options that would potentially allow outdoor alcohol consumption for special events.