San Francisco Sun

Mayor London N. Breed and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman have introduced legislation to create a new entertainment zone in San Francisco's Cole Valley neighborhood. The proposal, announced on December 10, aims to designate a three-block area as an entertainment zone, allowing restaurants and bars to sell alcoholic beverages for outdoor consumption during events like the Cole Valley Nights series.

This initiative is part of Mayor Breed's Roadmap to San Francisco’s Future, which seeks to support local economic recovery through entertainment initiatives. If approved, the Cole Valley entertainment zone could be operational by March 2025.

The concept of entertainment zones is supported by SB 76, authored by Senator Scott Wiener. These zones are intended to boost local economic activity by permitting alcohol sales for outdoor consumption during special events. Previous implementations include Front Street and Thrive City Entertainment Zones, both showing significant success.

Mayor Breed emphasized the importance of these zones in revitalizing neighborhoods: “We are aggressively pushing innovative programs to support our long-standing sectors...Entertainment Zones are proving to be incredibly successful.”

Supervisor Mandelman highlighted the recent success of Cole Valley’s night market: “Establishment of this Entertainment Zone will allow the neighborhood to build on that success.”

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed SB 969, enabling cities across California to establish similar zones starting January 1, 2025. This has sparked interest from various communities seeking guidance from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD).

Senator Wiener praised the initiative: “California’s Entertainment Zone law empowers San Francisco and other cities...Every time San Francisco creates an Entertainment Zone, it’s wildly successful.”

Local business leaders also expressed enthusiasm. Dan Serot from the Cole Valley Merchants Association noted their excitement about enhancing event programming, while Megan Cornelius from Zazie highlighted potential benefits for small businesses.

Sarah Dennis Phillips from OEWD concluded with optimism about expanding these zones: “We are thrilled that neighborhoods like Cole Valley are excited about the potential...The more the merrier!”