Raleigh considers expanding open alcohol consumption to Village District with new social district plan

Raleigh leaders are considering the possibility of adding a second area where people can openly drink alcoholic beverages.

On Tuesday, city council members tabled the discussion whether to move forward with plans to expand the Sip n’ Stroll program to the Village District. The proposal would allow people to drink beer, wine or cocktails from specially marked cups during specific times and areas of the Village District.

The proposed hours would be:

• 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday
• 10 am. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday

If approved by the Raleigh City Council, the Village District’s social district would start on Jan. 1, 2025.

The proposed boundaries for the social district are Clark Avenue, Daniels Street, Smallwood Drive, Woodburn Road and Cameron Street.

On Tuesday, city council member Megan Patton asked if city staff had any metrics toward potential "negative behaviors" that could arise. In August 2022, Raleigh launched its first social district downtown. City staff did not have the metrics Patton requested on Tuesday.

WRAL Data Trackers compiled some of the crime metrics using Raleigh police data. Specifically, WRAL Data Trackers looked into the roughly 18 blocks that make up the main part of Raleigh's downtown social district from the State Capitol grounds down to the Martin Marietta Center between South McDowell and South Blount streets.

WRAL Data Trackers compared crimes in the area reported between Jan. 1, 2022, and Aug. 15, 2022, when the Sip n’ Stroll district went into place, to the same time period in 2024.

Simple assaults

• Jan. 1, 2022 - Aug. 15, 2022: 99
• Jan. 1, 2024 - Aug. 15, 2024: 116

Drug violations

• Jan. 1, 2022 - Aug. 15, 2022: 98
• Jan. 1, 2024 - Aug. 15, 2024: 246

Car thefts and larceny

• Jan. 1, 2022 - Aug. 15, 2022: 34
• Jan. 1, 2024 - Aug. 15, 2024: 57

However, that 2022 time period was also toward the end of COVID pandemic, when some people were still staying home and going out less.

The city listed the following businesses that plan to participate in the program if it gets approved. It includes:

• Ajisai
• Cantina 18
• Cape Fear Seafood
• Flying Biscuit Café
• Goodnights Comedy Club
• Oberlin Hotel (under construction)
• Piccola
• Postino Winecafe
• Tazza Kitchen
• Village Deli
• Village Draft House Uniquities
• Winestore

The following business are not planning to participate in the program if it’s approved:

• ABC Store
• Chase Bank
• Chick-Fil-A
• Crunch Fitness
• Harris Teeter
• Oberlin Regional Library
• The Fresh Market
• Walgreens

Onward Reserve manager Karen Nowell said she is in favor of the Sip n’ Stroll proposal.

“I think it would be fantastic because we obviously have a lot of restaurants in the area," Nowell said. "We can definitely use more traffic and people walking in and definitely welcome that.”

On Tuesday, WRAL News spoke with Village District shoppers Maggie O'Brien and Alexandra Fox about their thoughts about the proposed social district.

"I love the idea of it because then you can take a roadie and then you’re not trapped in one place," O'Brien said. "I always have the issue if one friend gets a drink right before we are about to leave, everyone is just standing around waiting.”

Fox echoed O'Brien's sentiments.

“I feel like it would bring in a lot more people because it’s a group of things to do rather than just one thing at a time,” Fox said.

On Aug. 15, 2023, the city of Raleigh expanded its Sip n' Stroll program to add more of the Warehouse District and to include Wye Hill on the edge of Boyland Heights.

Downtown Raleigh’s initial Sip n’ Stroll program launched in August 2022.

Several other North Carolina municipalities have launched their own social districts. It includes the the July 2024 launch of the social district at the Streets at Southpoint Mall and the December 2022 launch of “The Bullpen” in Durham.