The Gritzmaker restaurant in downtown Zeeland has expressed interest in having alcohol sold on Sundays. The City Council will consider an ordinance that would legalize Sunday alcohol sales.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Nearly 20 years have passed since voters in the city of Zeeland legalized the sale of alcohol.
Now, city leaders are exploring the possibility of allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays.
The City Council Monday night by consensus directed city staff to draw up an ordinance that would allow alcohol to be sold in the city on Sundays. The city’s current alcohol ordinance bans any selling or serving of alcohol on Sunday.
Keeping in step with a provision in the city’s strategic action plan for this year, city staff recently reached out to current on-premises liquor license holders to gauge their level of interest in Sunday alcohol sales. One downtown restaurant, The Gritzmaker, expressed strong interest in Sunday sales, City Marketing Director Abby deRoo said.
“They see opportunities to host customers during football games, family dinners and other special traditions. Adding Sundays would provide up to 52 additional days of business annually,” deRoo said.
Other license holders said they did not plan to offer Sunday hours, but expressed support “if the change benefits fellow businesses.” A few mentioned if the ordinance were changed, they would consider using Sundays to host private events in the future, deRoo said.
While off-premises licensees weren’t surveyed this time, they have in the past supported allowing Sunday sales, deRoo said.
DeRoo indicated that there may be an upcoming liquor license application tied to the mixed-use development now under construction at 17 E. Main Ave.
“We haven’t seen anything formally. We’ve not met with an applicant, so at this point, nothing’s been documented,” she said. “As new license-holders are interested, a flexible ordinance may be of benefit to them.”
Mayor Kevin Klynstra favored the idea of Sunday sales, saying the city has taken a slow “baby steps” approach in allowing the sale of alcohol.
“Alcohol sales have not been a bad thing for the city,” the mayor said.
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen sounded a note of concern about allowing Sunday alcohol sales. She pointed out that when voters approved allowing alcohol sales by the glass in targeted areas of the city – specifically downtown and along the Washington Avenue corridor – in November 2006, many voters went along with the change on the condition that there would be no alcohol sales on Sundays.
That proposal passed by just 40 votes, 1,425-1,385.
The City Council would most likely need two votes to approve an ordinance allowing Sunday alcohol sales, and the council would hold a public hearing to get input from the community before any ordinance would be approved, City Manager Tim Klunder said.
Zeeland Record
Nearly 20 years have passed since voters in the city of Zeeland legalized the sale of alcohol.
Now, city leaders are exploring the possibility of allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays.
The City Council Monday night by consensus directed city staff to draw up an ordinance that would allow alcohol to be sold in the city on Sundays. The city’s current alcohol ordinance bans any selling or serving of alcohol on Sunday.
Keeping in step with a provision in the city’s strategic action plan for this year, city staff recently reached out to current on-premises liquor license holders to gauge their level of interest in Sunday alcohol sales. One downtown restaurant, The Gritzmaker, expressed strong interest in Sunday sales, City Marketing Director Abby deRoo said.
“They see opportunities to host customers during football games, family dinners and other special traditions. Adding Sundays would provide up to 52 additional days of business annually,” deRoo said.
Other license holders said they did not plan to offer Sunday hours, but expressed support “if the change benefits fellow businesses.” A few mentioned if the ordinance were changed, they would consider using Sundays to host private events in the future, deRoo said.
While off-premises licensees weren’t surveyed this time, they have in the past supported allowing Sunday sales, deRoo said.
DeRoo indicated that there may be an upcoming liquor license application tied to the mixed-use development now under construction at 17 E. Main Ave.
“We haven’t seen anything formally. We’ve not met with an applicant, so at this point, nothing’s been documented,” she said. “As new license-holders are interested, a flexible ordinance may be of benefit to them.”
Mayor Kevin Klynstra favored the idea of Sunday sales, saying the city has taken a slow “baby steps” approach in allowing the sale of alcohol.
“Alcohol sales have not been a bad thing for the city,” the mayor said.
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen sounded a note of concern about allowing Sunday alcohol sales. She pointed out that when voters approved allowing alcohol sales by the glass in targeted areas of the city – specifically downtown and along the Washington Avenue corridor – in November 2006, many voters went along with the change on the condition that there would be no alcohol sales on Sundays.
That proposal passed by just 40 votes, 1,425-1,385.
The City Council would most likely need two votes to approve an ordinance allowing Sunday alcohol sales, and the council would hold a public hearing to get input from the community before any ordinance would be approved, City Manager Tim Klunder said.
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