Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday showed a range of interest in creating a “common consumption area,” which would allow folks to drink alcoholic beverages as they move through downtown. City staff members researched other communities in Kansas that have enacted CCA districts and shared their findings in a memo to the commission ahead of the meeting. Key concerns commissioners discussed during the presentation Tuesday were the costs of enforcement if additional downtown security would be needed and cleanup. Porter Arneill, assistant director of arts and culture for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, told the commission that the concept and feedback thus far is “very nebulous right now.” “Everything is a guessing game at this stage because there’s so many factors that are unknown,” Arneill said. “We don’t know what the behavior will be like. We don’t know how many businesses would actually join in on this.” The city already has a process to approve special permits to allow open consumption of alcohol during certain events, such as Lawrence Busker Festival. Some members of the public seemed to be shaken and stirred by the proposal.
Source: The Lawrence Times
