GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – A second Delta County community is set to establish a social district in 2025.
On Monday, the Gladstone City Commission voted to create a social district along a portion of Delta Avenue. Four commissioners voted in favor of it and one voted in opposition.
The vote followed a public hearing, during which members of the community spoke both for and against the proposal. Because the Gladstone DDA and social district steering committee knew there would be concerns, the DDA director says safeguards have been put in place to ensure the social district is a beneficial addition to the downtown.
“Part of those safeguards would include the ability to pause the district if we were having an event that was not appropriate for children in the downtown,” said Director Patricia West. “Our Old Fashioned Christmas would be a good example of that. I’m really proud of what we put forward, and I think we had some really valuable discussion.”
Bars and restaurants that want to participate in the social district must apply for a license through the City and the State. Other businesses within the social district can choose whether or not they will allow designated social district cups in their establishments.
Gladstone’s decision comes three months after Escanaba approved the creation of its own social district, which will be operational this summer. Gladstone plans to launch its social district by the end of the year.
For locals looking for more information on how the social district will work, the DDA will be launching an educational campaign on gladstonemi.gov in the near future. Click here to see where the social district will be.
