Opposing views: Edgewood Entertainment District draws different reactions

UPDATE: While the council could still vote to create the city's second entertainment district in Edgewood, the state legislature declined to vote on creating a third district in West Homewood in April 2022.

The possibility of an entertainment district coming to the Edgewood Business District has some residents concerned.

“The fix doesn’t match the problem,” Chad Stogner said.

Stogner, who has started a Facebook group and community push to oppose the district called “Save the Strip,” said there was some mistrust between community residents in the area in regard to what future development might look like.

Homewood Antiques was asked to vacate its longtime home on the area commonly known as the strip, which also includes a vacant space where New York Pizza once was, as well restaurants Taco Mama, Saw’s BBQ and Edgewood Creamery. The strip also includes Homewood Pharmacy and several other shops on both sides of Oxmoor Road. Near the businesses are Edgewood Presbyterian Church, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church, along with the large residential area.

Stogner said he’s concerned that if a bar comes to the area, it might hurt existing businesses.

Homewood City Council President Alex Wyatt said the reason for the proposed district is that businesses have patrons sitting outside consuming alcohol, which was previously allowed during the pandemic.

Taco Mama owner Will Haver said the state’s ABC Board allowed restaurants to serve alcohol in sealed containers outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, given how many patrons were dining outside to mitigate the spread of the virus. However, that rule has been pulled back, and restaurants are now in violation of their license. Haver said he supports an entertainment district in Edgewood.

The council has the authority to create a second district already, and the state Legislature is discussing a bill, requested by the council, that would allow Homewood to have a third district in West Homewood. The council then would possibly seek to create an entertainment district in Edgewood, Wyatt said.

Wyatt said the name “entertainment district” is really a misnomer. Wyatt said he does not believe creating an entertainment district would change the character of the Edgewood area.

Entertainment districts allow businesses with alcohol licenses to obtain a license which allows for the consumption of alcoholic beverages off the premises, allowing customers to purchase a drink and walk around within the district. No alcohol may be brought into the district, and the council would later set hours and other guidelines.

Bernice Boyd Hawkins said she lives farther away from the proposed entertainment district but said she still had concerns.

“I can’t imagine living within four blocks of an entertainment district and feeling that I am living in ‘quiet little Homewood,’” Hawkins said. “That is not why most people move to Homewood.”

At a November Public Safety Committee meeting, one resident said she was concerned about how many children live in Edgewood and frequent the businesses — a concern that was echoed by Stogner and Hawkins. Several other residents questioned the possible impact on children in the area.

Later in November, the council voted to ask the Legislature for the right to create the districts, with councilors Melanie Geer and Nick Sims voting no. Geer said she had heard from concerned residents leading up to the vote, while Sims asked to postpone consideration of the matter to have more discussion.

Wyatt said that after initially asking the Legislature to create two districts, it was determined they only needed to request for one additional district, as they are already eligible to create two districts. The city already approved an entertainment district for downtown Homewood.

Sims said he supports an entertainment district that is “limited in scope” including only the area from Sam’s Deli and Grill to Taco Mama, so that it would not affect other businesses. He would also only support it being active after 5 p.m.

“No one wants to use it as an economic development strategy,” Sims said.

For example, Sims said he does not believe that area is viable for a bar that wants to play music until midnight.

Sims also mentioned the possibility of another type of ABC license that allows alcohol to be consumed outside of a restaurant, but requires the restaurant to restrict the space, and alcohol cannot be carried into a common area or taken into another business’ space.

Stogner said that while he isn’t a teetotaler, he does not feel Edgewood is an appropriate place for an entertainment district. He cited the existence of other such districts in the neighboring cities of Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook but said they are different from Homewood. In Vestavia, specifically, the entertainment districts have “plenty of buffer” between commercial and residential areas. That isn’t the case in Edgewood, he said.

Stogner said he supported the idea that Sims mentioned, where businesses would control certain tables outside of their area and have permission to serve alcohol.

“I just think there’s a better solution,” Stogner said. “I want a safe spot for my kids.”

Prior to any passage by the council, Wyatt said there would be public input meetings.