- Cortez City Council gives a preliminary go-ahead to the idea of allowing food and liquor to be served on city sidewalks.
- Farmington, New Mexico, is planning a “sobering center” and a voluntary treatment program for the intoxicated.
The Cortez City Council gave a preliminary go-ahead Tuesday to the idea of allowing food and liquor to be served on city sidewalks. City attorney Mike Green said the draft ordinance presented would allow establishments to have outdoor sales on sidewalks adjacent to their buildings, so long as there remains at least 4 feet between the curb and the boundary. He said eateries would lease the sidewalk and the additional premises would be included in their liquor license. Side streets would be the focus, as the Colorado Department of Transportation would have to give permission for such an arrangement on Main Street. The decision to grant a lease would be totally discretionary and the council could revoke a lease after a hearing if any violations occurred. The ordinance was to be set for a first reading in two weeks.
Farmington, New Mexico, is planning a “sobering center” and a voluntary treatment program for the intoxicated. The Daily-Times reports the City Council approved a two-year intergovernmental agreement on Tuesday among the city, the San Juan Regional Medical Center, Presbyterian Medical Services, and San Juan County. The operation would take place in modular buildings under construction by the county. The city of Farmington would shoulder 47 percent of the annual costs, some $775,000 annually. The sobering house will be able to hold up to 40 people a day.
