PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — Sipping, shopping, and strolling is the idea behind a proposed Panama City project.
As part of the Downtown Improvement Board’s (DIB) effort to attract more people to the area, they have discussed adopting an open container policy.
“It will allow people to possibly buy a mimosa on a Saturday morning and pick up their mimosa go inside one of the retailers and shop,” DIB Chairman Catherine Shores said.
The DIB discussed the change during their Wednesday morning meeting.
The improvement board has discussed adopting a social district ordinance before.
“They’re trying to set up a system where we can have some drinking in the streets and in other merchants, but a way that they can responsibly keep up with who’s doing it and how it’s going down.,” Owner of Mosey’s Judd Manuel said.
But board members said now they’re ready to move forward with the processes.
“The Downtown Improvement Board has been working on the rules, the ordinance that will be required for this to be implemented,” Shores said.
The proposal is part of the board’s overall mission to help grow downtown Panama City.
“I’m generally in favor of them being able to have another marketing tool to be able to bring more people downtown,” Manuel said.
Manuel said if the ordinance passes he will participate.
“There’s going to be some system of special cups and tags and that sort of thing,” Manuel said. So it’s a little bit extra effort on my part, but I understand it as a marketing tool for downtown.”
Residents also said they see the benefits.
“We could go through an antique shop carrying a beer,” resident Edward Santillo said. “Well,
The board’s next step is to talk with the police chief and city commission, said Shores.
“Having the chief of police for Panama City. Having his blessing, that’s certainly a big part of it. We want everybody on board and hope to bring the proposal in front of the city commission by the first of the year,” Shores added.
