Residents and visitors of Cloverdale may soon be able to stroll through part of downtown with a glass of wine or beer in hand under a new proposal city leaders are considering that would create a special entertainment zone.
Such a zone would allow adults 21 and older to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating businesses and consume them outdoors within defined boundaries and hours. The council discussed the potential zone, which could exist along Cloverdale Boulevard, as a new opportunity to support local businesses and create a more active, lively downtown during its meeting on Wednesday, March 11.
City Clerk Mike Maloney said entertainment zones have gained traction statewide following the passage of Senate Bill 969, which took effect in January 2025 and has allowed city and county governments to establish zones where adults can consume alcohol outdoors.
Typically, alcohol sold at bars and restaurants must be consumed on-site.
San Francisco was the first in the state to permit public consumption in so-called entertainment zones as officials there sought to revitalize the Financial District and other neighborhoods, but the program was expanded statewide under Senate Bill 969 signed into law.
Today, visitors can drink outdoors during certain special events in Sacramento, while public consumption is allowed on weekends in Santa Monica and daily in Redding.
Several other cities in the North Bay have started to adopt or explore similar programs including Santa Rosa, Yountville and American Canyon, as government officials continue to look for ways to increase downtown foot traffic and support local restaurants, breweries and tasting rooms — industries city staff say are struggling.
In Cloverdale, the preliminary proposal would create a zone along South Cloverdale Boulevard between Citrus Fair Drive and East Third Street. City staff suggested the area could operate as an entertainment zone from noon to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
However, council members said the boundaries and hours could change depending on feedback from residents and potential participating businesses.
Councilmember Andres Marquez suggested expanding the zone to include Main Street between First and Broad Streets, while Council member Marjorie Morganstern and Vice Mayor Todd Lands urged staff to restrict the zone to a smaller area to keep the zone away from residential neighborhoods.
“This is a big step in a different direction than I thought I would be doing on a council,” Lands said. “Allowing an entertainment zone for alcohol during certain times makes me a little bit nervous. This is also a good thing for tourism but it is a very fine line we have to walk.
“For me to get on board, I would have to see your outreach that all of our businesses are on board because they are going to have a lot of liability in this,” he added.
Some residents had already expressed concerns about the idea, taking to social media ahead of the meeting, warning that these zones could drive up noise and crime, leading to a strain on the city’s small police department.
Other residents expressed cautious support for the idea during Wednesday’s meeting.
Katia Saldaña, a longtime Cloverdale resident with experience in the wine industry, said similar open-container policies in Healdsburg’s tasting rooms have helped liven the area, but warned that Cloverdale’s program would require careful oversight.
Another resident who said she lives near Third Street expressed concerns that traffic and pedestrian congestion could worsen in an area that already sees heavy foot traffic during city events.
Police Chief Chris Parker said he supported the concept and said the department would continue its regular patrol coverage in the area if a zone was established.
“I am always willing to try new things,” Parker said.
No decision was made about the fate of the zone Wednesday night. Council members unanimously directed staff to conduct outreach with businesses and the broader community before returning to the council with a potential ordinance and management plan for consideration at a future meeting.
“I think it is a great thing for downtown Cloverdale,” said Mayor Brian Wheeler. “I am still not 100% there yet but I think there is a way to get there.”
No date has been set for when the proposal could return to council.
Contact Staff Writer Anna Armstrong at anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @annavarmstrongg.