Community News

The Oswego Common Council held its bi-weekly committee meetings in the Council Chambers at City Hall on Monday evening.

The topic causing the most buzz was one that came before the Planning and Development Committee, Mayor Billy Barlow’s recent proposal to create a new “social district” in the downtown area.

The formation of this district would create an area where residents or visitors might purchase an alcoholic beverage at a downtown restaurant or bar and take it outdoors onto city streets within the district. Currently, the city’s open container ordinance does not allow consumption of alcoholic beverages in public space anywhere in the city. This would require amending Article 59 of the City Charter, which covers Alcoholic Beverages, Synthetic Drugs and Social Hosting.

Mayor Barlow addressed the assembled councilors, explaining that the new district is something that has been done in several cities and towns throughout the state. “It allows patrons to move from place to place while carrying a beverage in an approved cup, but not in a can or bottle,” the Mayor said. “They wouldn’t be tied to a single venue.” As proposed, the district rules “…would be in effect from June 1 - October 1, and from noon until midnight,” he stated.

The new district was originally proposed to cover an area from Utica Street to the lake shore from West 3rd Street to East 2nd Street, as well as Lake Street and Breitbeck Park. Councilor Shawn Walker (R, 4th), chair of the Committee, proposed tightening the southern border of the district to Oneida Street and expanding the Eason edge to include East 3rd Street. This was met with agreement from the committee.

Other Council members offered comments and suggestions. Councilor Kevin Hill (R, 3rd) whose ward contains much of the area included in the district, said that most of the merchants he had spoken to were in favor of the proposal. Councilor John Gosek (R, 5th) said he was concerned that the new district might encourage “back-sliding to the days of public drunkenness.” Councilor Shawn Burridge (R,2nd), a former police officer, said “Oswego has a different atmosphere than it used to have years ago. People seem to be much more responsible now.”

Councilor Susan McBrearty (D, 1st) said that she had spoken to police chief Phil Cady. “His feeling is that having a drink in public is much different than an act of public drunkenness.” She also suggested that additional city-owned trash receptacles be situated in the district and emptied regularly.

A few members of the public addressed the Committee, with some expressing serious reservations about the social district proposal. Following the discussion, the Planning and Development Committee members unanimously voted to move the proposal forward to schedule a public hearing on the matter. The full Council will meet on Monday, March 28 at 6:30 pm for their next scheduled meeting.