Alcoholic Beverage Sales Expansion Proposed in Winter ParkAlcoholic Beverage Sales Expansion Proposed in Winter Park Winter Park’s City Commission is poised to consider an ordinance that would extend the hours of alcohol sales and service from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Background and Motivation The current 11 a.m. Sunday start time for alcohol service stems from the state’s Blue Laws, which aimed to restrict alcohol sales on days of worship. However, brunch service is permitted under the current schedule, while restaurants with liquor licenses can offer all-day service. The proposed change would benefit businesses like First Watch and Briarpatch, allowing them to offer alcoholic beverages with breakfast. It would also provide convenience to shoppers purchasing alcohol during early morning hours or for Sunday afternoon events. Timeline and Process The ordinance will undergo its first reading on July 24th, followed by a final vote at the commission’s August 14th meeting. Other Agenda Items * Budget hearings for the city’s 2025 budget * Setting the preliminary tax rate The commission will consider raising the tax rate by a quarter point, which could generate an additional $2.2 million in annual revenue for potential projects without identified funding sources. Public Participation Residents can attend the commission meeting in person or online and provide input during the public comment period. Access Information The meeting agenda and registration for virtual access are available at cityofwinterpark.org/meetings.
An ordinance allowing sales and service to begin at 7 a.m. every day of the week is on the agenda for the commission’s July 24 meeting. Photo by: Jim Carchidi
Sunday breakfast on Park Avenue could soon include alcoholic beverages. City commissioners will hear the first reading of an ordinance at their next meeting that would ban the sale, consumption and service of alcoholic beverages between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. every day of the week. The St. Patrick’s Day allowance for service that ends at 2 a.m. would remain under the new ordinance.
The current 11 a.m. Sunday start time dates back to the state’s Blue Laws, which were intended to limit alcohol sales on a day of worship. The schedule allows for brunch service, but breakfast restaurants with liquor licenses like First Watch and Park Avenue’s Briarpatch are allowed to offer all-day service. The change to a 7 a.m. Sunday start time would also benefit grocery and convenience store customers who shop in the wee hours of the week or for Sunday afternoon events. Tampa lifted its Sunday limits in January 2021, just in time for the city to host the Super Bowl.
The first reading of the regulation will take place on Wednesday 24 July, with the commissioners taking their final vote at the following meeting on 14 August.
The City Commission will also continue hearings on the city’s 2025 budget on Wednesday and set the preliminary tax rate. A single tax rate equals $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, and commissioners set the annual rate at the start of budget deliberations. The number can be moved to increase funding as the plan evolves, but the current rate of 4.0923 has been in effect since 2009.
Winter Park’s 25-year strategic plan includes $126 million in potential projects with no identified funding sources. Should the commission vote to raise the tax rate by a quarter point, the city would gain an additional $2.2 million in annual property tax revenue. As with all commission meetings, residents can attend in person or online and provide input during public comment.
The full meeting agenda and registration for virtual access are available at cityofwinterpark.org/meetings.
