SOCIAL DISTRICTS

Charlotte City Code ch. 15, art. XV

in effect

Charlotte City Code § 15-314 Purpose and application.

Sec. 15-314. - Purpose and application. Pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 160A-205.4 and Article 3 of G.S. ch. 18B, one or more social districts may be created within the city. (1) Social districts shall be created, designated, and managed in accordance with the requirements contained in G.S. ch. 18B and section 15-3 of the Charlotte Code of Ordinances. (2) The provisions and terms contained in this article shall be applicable to each established social district in section 15-322. Under no circumstances shall any social district operate outside of the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily. At all other times, the provisions and terms contained in this article are not in effect and all provisions of state and local laws concerning the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be in full force and effect. (3) Any alcoholic beverage purchased for consumption in a social district shall: (i) Only be consumed in that social district; and (ii) Be disposed of before the person in possession of the alcoholic beverage exits the social district. (4) The city shall publish standards and provisions governing the process and rules for establishing and maintaining social districts. Any permittee that wishes to petition the city for the creation of a social district shall apply in accordance with the process prescribed in the standards and provisions pursuant to section 15-320. The permittee shall be responsible for operating its business in accordance with all city and state ordinances, laws, rules, and regulations governing social districts generally and the social district management and maintenance plan in section 15-322. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-315 Definitions.

Sec. 15-315. - Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Customer means a person who purchases an alcoholic beverage from a permittee that is in a social district. Mixed-use development means an integrated development containing both residential and nonresidential uses and adhering to a comprehensive plan and located on a single tract of land, or on two or more tracts of land which may be separated only by a privately maintained street or other right-of-way, or which may be contained in a single building. Multi-tenant establishment means a building or structure, or multiple buildings and structures on the same property, or within the same planned development project, that may be subject to a common declaration of restrictive covenants administered by a common property owners' association, and under common ownership, control, or property owners' association governance, that contains or contain multiple businesses that sell food, goods, services, or a combination of food, goods, and services, and that include or are connected by common areas. The term multi-tenant establishment includes a mixed-use development. Non-permittee business means a business that is located in a social district and does not hold any North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABC) permit. Open container means a container that has a broken seal or a container other than the manufacturer's unopened original container. Permittee means a person holding any of the following ABC permits: (1) An on-premises malt beverage permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(1). (2) An on-premises unfortified wine permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(3). (3) An on-premises fortified wine permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(5). (4) A mixed beverages permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(10). (5) A wine shop permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(16). (6) A distillery permit issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1100(5). Person means an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, other organization or group, or other combination of individuals acting as a unit. Premises means a fixed permanent establishment, including all areas inside or outside the licensed establishment, where the permittee has control through a lease, deed, or other legal process. Public street means any highway, road, street, avenue, boulevard, or other way within and under the control of the city or state and open to public use, including the sidewalks of any such street. Social district means a defined area in which a person may consume alcoholic beverages sold by a permittee. A social district may include both indoor and outdoor areas of businesses within or contiguous to the defined area during the days and hours established for the social district pursuant to section 15-314. A social district may include privately owned property, including permittees and non-permittee businesses, and multi-tenant establishments, and public streets, crosswalks, or parking areas whether or not the streets or parking areas are closed to vehicle traffic. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-316 Sale of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts.

Sec. 15-316. - Sale of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts. It shall be unlawful for a permittee located in a social district to sell open containers of alcoholic beverages and allow customers to exit its licensed premises to the social district unless the permittee meets the following requirements: (1) Permittee is located in an ABC approved and City of Charlotte adopted social district. (2) The permittee shall only sell an open container of an alcoholic beverage for consumption in the social district and off the premises of the permittee in a container that meets all of the following requirements: a) The container clearly identifies the permittee from which the alcoholic beverage was purchased. b) The container clearly displays a logo or some other mark that is unique to the social district in which it will be consumed. c) The container is not comprised of glass. d) The container displays, in no less than 12-point font, the statement, "Drink Responsibly - Be 21." e) The container shall not hold more than 16 fluid ounces. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverage drinks in excess of the limitation set forth in G.S. 18B-1010. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-317 Responsibilities of non-permittee businesses in social districts.

Sec. 15-317. - Responsibilities of non-permittee businesses in social districts. Any non-permittee business that is part of a social district and allows customers to bring alcoholic beverages onto its premises is not responsible for enforcement of G.S. ch. 18B but must comply with the following requirements: (1) Clearly post signage at any exits that do not open to the social district indicating that alcoholic beverages may not be taken past that point. (2) Post the uniform signage provided to the non-permittee business indicating that customers may bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises of the non-permittee business during the days and hours that the social district is active. (3) Allow law enforcement officers access to the areas of the premises accessible by customers during the days and hours that the social district is active. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-318 Requirements for possession and consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts.

Sec. 15-318. - Requirements for possession and consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages in social districts. Except where otherwise allowed by local ordinance, it shall be unlawful to possess or consume an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a social district during the hours established for the social district pursuant to section 15-314 unless: (1) The alcoholic beverage is purchased from a permittee located in the social district; (2) The customer-purchased open container of alcoholic beverage is in a container meeting the requirements set forth in section 15-316 of this article, except for open containers sold by a permittee for consumption on the permittee's premises; (3) The person does not possess at one time open containers of alcoholic beverages in the social district in excess of the number of alcoholic beverages that may be sold and delivered by a retail permittee as set forth in G.S. 18B-1010; (4) The person does not enter the premises of a non-permittee business in the social district with an open container of an alcoholic beverage unless the non-permittee business has the uniform sign for the social district as set forth in section 317 displayed; or (5) The person disposes of any open container of an alcoholic beverage purchased from a permittee in the person's possession prior to exiting the social district unless the person is reentering the licensed premises of the permittee where the alcoholic beverage was purchased. Notwithstanding G.S. 18B-300 and G.S. 18B-301, a permittee or non-permittee business may allow a customer to possess and consume on the business's premises alcoholic beverages purchased from a permittee in the social district. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-319 Multi-tenant establishments.

Sec. 15-319. - Multi-tenant establishments. Permittees and non-permittee businesses in a multi-tenant establishment located within a social district may participate in the social district regardless of whether the multi- tenant establishment has a common area entertainment ABC permit. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-320 Standards and provisions.

Sec. 15-320. - Standards and provisions. The city manager or designee is authorized to adopt, amend, and repeal standards and provisions governing the application process and requirements for the establishment, management, and maintenance of social districts. Before beginning to operate, each social district's management and maintenance plan shall be approved by city council. It shall be unlawful to operate a social district in violation of the standards and provisions adopted pursuant to this section. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-321 Exceptions.

Sec. 15-321. - Exceptions. For the health and safety of the general public, the city manager or designee shall have the authority to temporarily suspend the days and hours of operation of a social district. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022)

Charlotte City Code § 15-322 Established social districts.

Sec. 15-322. - Established social districts. (a) Plaza Midwood Social District. The Plaza Midwood Social District shall be established and is designated as shown on a map dated October 5 th , 2023 that is available in the Office of the City Clerk. Signage and/or markings shall be posted clearly delineating the boundaries of the social district. Days and hours of operation shall be between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. (b) Reserved. (Ord. No. 373, § 2, 8-22-2022; Ord. No. 646, § 1, 10-23-2023)

Source: City of Charlotte, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/charlotte/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH15OFMIPR_ARTXVSODIFetched: 10/27/2026