Macon-Bibb officials narrowly approve Rosa Parks Square alcohol ban

Macon-Bibb County commissioners reached a compromise Wednesday, adopting measures that will ban beer festivals and other alcohol-related events at Rosa Parks Square once a new park is built nearby.

The new park is set to be built in the median area of Poplar Street between First and Second streets.

Macon-Bibb officials still must agree upon designs and a source of funding for the new park. Rosa Parks Square could also undergo a major redesign as it transforms into a memorial for its civil rights leader namesake.

Although the prohibition ordinance won’t go into effect until the new park is built, Mayor Robert Reichert said he won’t approve any alcohol-related events in the interim.

The Commission voted 5-4 to adopt the prohibition. Commissioners Joe Allen, Mallory Jones, Gary Bechtel and Scotty Shepherd voted against the ordinance. The vote came after several residents and a business owner said they supported the compromise.

“I would like to see the park put on the fast track moving forward, created as quickly as possible,” Commissioner Larry Schlesinger said. “I do think we want to send a message of unity... in this community.”

Reichert said the issue has produced a high level emotion among people over the last couple of months. Wednesday was a chance for officials to compromise, he said during the pre-commission meeting.

“I think this is an especially important time for us to come together and say for all these reasons we want to support this because we want to move this community forward,” Reichert said.

Several commissioners referenced a Rosé with Rosa wine tasting fundraiser that was held in May to support the Rosa Parks Museum in Alabama. They questioned why Macon would ban alcohol at the park when the museum’s foundation hosted an event with alcohol.

“Why are we jumping the gun if they’re doing it in Montgomery ... where she lived?” Allen said during the pre-commission meeting. “I don’t understand that.”

The issue of barring alcohol inside Rosa Parks Square was initially mentioned at an April 29 news conference where local leaders spoke out in opposition to a Just Tap’d beer festival at the park. A month later, about 100 people attended a public hearing on the proposal.

Permission must be granted to host events that allow alcohol at Macon-Bibb parks.

The owner of Just Tap’d and Ocmulgee Brewpub said Wednesday the compromise could meet the desires of people who want to pay respect to Parks while also having a nearby place where certain events would not be restricted.

“It does appear people on both sides of the aisles are united from what I’m hearing,” Jeff Kressin said.

Macon-Bibb resident Marvella Ivery said its appropriate that alcohol is not permitted inside any place that’s a memorial.

“A memorial is a place of sobriety, a place where you get clarity, a place where you reflect properly,” she said at Wednesday’s meeting.

In other business Wednesday, commissioners also approved:

▪  Establishing the Downtown Macon Business Improvement District that will use a 5 mill increase to reinvest into the district. The district is expected to generate about $375,000 annually in extra property revenue over a six-year period.

The district runs from New Street down past Fifth and Pine streets and over to Riverside Drive. Enough downtown property owners have agreed to the Business Improvement District to meet the requirements to enact the measure.

“Today’s approval of the downtown Macon BID marks an important moment where downtown property owners voted with their pocketbooks to invest in a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future for downtown Macon,” NewTown Macon President and CEO Josh Rogers said in a statement.

▪  Naming a new senior citizens center after Commissioner Elaine Lucas. The $2.2 million center will be built in Central City Park.

▪  Accepting a donation of 12 bike racks from Bike Walk Macon, Inc. The bike racks were paid for through a Downtown Challenge Grant.

▪  A $20,000 agreement with MYD Golf for design services at Bowden Golf Course. The commission approved in May spending up to $340,000 in 2017 SPLOST bond money for renovations to the golf course.

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 8:28 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb officials narrowly approve Rosa Parks Square alcohol ban."