A map of a proposed community entertainment district will be shown at the Sept. 18 Painesville City Council meeting. The proposed district would include Kiwanis Recreation Park, downtown Painesville and areas north of downtown. (Bryson Durst-The News-Herald)
The Painesville City Council recently approved a proposal to increase the number of liquor permits in and near downtown.
The council approved a motion to establish a community entertainment district at its Oct. 16 meeting by a 6-0 vote, with Councilman Paul Hach placed on leave. The decision comes ahead of expected residential and retail development projects in the city.
“The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the development or revitalization of mixed-use areas,” said Sue Crotty, the city’s economic development director.
She added that the approximately 231-acre district is expected to receive 15 new D-5J liquor permits, subject to zoning regulations and state liquor requirements. They offer the same restrictions and privileges as D-5 permits.
The Ohio Department of Commerce website states that a D-5 permit “allows on/off sales of beer, wine, pre-packaged low-proof mixed drinks, and exclusive on-site consumption of hard liquor until 2:30 p.m.” Am”
“There has to be some level of food, although it doesn’t have to be extensive,” Crotty explained.
She previously said that D-5 permits “are the types of permits that many operations in this area would like to have.”
“If you’re trying to create a vibrant downtown with nightlife, there are establishments that require a D-5 permit,” Crotty added.
The Commerce Department’s permit quota list says there were three D-5 permits in use in Painesville City as of Oct. 20 and another eight remaining available.
Crotty said the new permits would not change the status of existing D-5 permits in the region.
“While we have available D-5 permits, we want to create this additional allocation,” she previously said. “We may not be able to do this in the future.”
A city the size of Painesville would need “at least $50 million in planned public and private development and project investments” to create a CED, Crotty said. Painesville currently has $78.9 million in development projects planned, including Grand River Walk and the redevelopment of Victoria Place.
According to a map attached to the city’s application, the proposed district would be bounded on the east by the Grand River, on the south by East Washington Street and on the west by Liberty and Richmond streets.
The northern boundary would run along the northern boundary of Kiwanis Recreation Park to East Erie Street, then turn up Elm Street to the CSX railroad tracks north of Railroad Street, continue west along the tracks to North St. Clair Street and before returning to East Erie Street continue west to Richmond.
A number of properties between East Erie and East Jackson streets, near Richmond Street, would also be included.
A digital copy of Crotty’s presentation can be found by visiting Painesville.com/council, selecting “2023 Meeting Documents” and selecting the presentation under the heading “October 16 Meeting.” The map was also presented at the city’s Sept. 18 council meeting.
The Department of Commerce’s CED Guide states that cities have the authority to expand, reduce or eliminate CEDs. If a city reduces or dissolves a district, all businesses outside the new boundaries will have their D-5J license revoked.
At the time of a May 15 presentation, Crotty said Ohio had 141 IBDs.
The Department of Commerce lists Mentor’s Great Lakes Mall as the only CED currently in Lake County. There are none in Geauga County, while Cuyahoga County’s 11 include areas such as Legacy Village, the Flats, Playhouse Square, Ohio City and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Painesville is prepared to submit the application to state officials after the council vote, Crotty said.