St. George City Council votes to limit the number of bars in historic arts district

George's, a restaurant that serves alcohol. George's is located across the street from Station 2. | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News.

ST. GEORGE — The St. George City Council voted unanimously to limit the number of bars that can operate in the arts district.

Station 2, the newest brewery in the arts district, date and location not specified | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News.

The arts district, which encompasses 80 acres, or 10 square blocks, has seen significant growth in recent years. A number of new restaurants and businesses have opened there, along with hundreds of apartments. While two bars have opened there within the past year — including Station 2 and The Advenire — with a third in the works, the council felt the need to limit the number of new bars opening in the area.

“We voted a while back to increase the potential number of bars in the arts district to six,” Mayor Jon Pike said. “We did that to facilitate growth in the area. But, because the area is so small, and we don’t really know if the demand is there for more bars, we felt that it would be best to limit the number of new bars until we have a better idea of what’s best for the establishments that are there already, as well as the neighborhood.”

Pike said that COVID-19 made it difficult to determine what the demand may be, as people are choosing to stay home.

But Councilwoman Dannielle Larkin felt a tinge of hesitation about the idea of limiting the number of new businesses that may open in the area.

“I’m hesitant about limiting the free market,” Larkin said Wednesday via email. “I recognize that we want to maintain the family-friendly nature of our historic downtown. We also want to allow the free market to be what it is: unrestricted competition between privately owned businesses.”

Pike added that other considerations went into the decision. He noted that there are currently two bars within a few hundred feet of one another and that another is in the works.

“This is a historical area,” Pike said. “We want to ensure that families feel comfortable bringing their kids to visit the museums, galleries and other restaurants there. We want to maintain the historical flavor of the arts district, as well as the theme and feel of the downtown area. Our decisions should reflect the wishes of the people who live there.”

St. George Mayor Jon Pike speaks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the RiverWalk Village apartments in St. George, Utah, Oct. 29, 2020 | Photo courtesy of the city of St. George, St. George News

Ultimately, the decision is an attempt to strike a balance between drawing more people to the downtown area, while also ensuring that the businesses already there can thrive. The council will be watching the market closely in the months to come to see how it does.

“This can be a very challenging balance for us as a city,” Larkin said. “We don’t want to be heavy-handed in our restrictions, yet we also want to maintain a healthy community space.”

Though the number of bars that may operate in the arts district is capped at four, Pike said there is no such limit on the number of bars that can operate in St. George. Then again, the arts district cap isn’t set in stone, either.

“I voted to limit the number to four for now,” Larkin said. “With the caveat that we look at it again in the future to reevaluate our decision and make adjustments as needed to allow for the healthy balance of nightlife options for adults and family-friendly spaces alike. I believe the two can coexist in a balanced way.”

Pike echoed this sentiment while suggesting that there may be more discussion to come.

“That’s the beauty of the way our government functions right now,” Pike said. “We can change our minds, and our approach, as the situation calls for it. We’ll see how things go, then we’ll adjust accordingly.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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