ORLANDO, Fla. – With the current moratorium on new bars set to expire on Sept. 1, the city of Orlando is preparing to recommend permanent solutions following an increase in security measures downtown in 2022.
“I will say: a couple years back, I wasn’t inclined to come downtown because of safety reasons, and now I’m out here running and enjoying myself,” said downtown resident Brighton Siple. “I think safety is a huge concern, and I think it should be on the forefront of everyone’s minds to keep the people of downtown Orlando safe.”
On Tuesday, the City Municipal Board is set to recommend that new bars be restricted to 300 feet from each other — a distance staff notes is about the length of a typical city block.
Bars in their current location will be grandfathered in. In the proposal, city staff wrote, “With the addition of the new requirements, staff believes there is no longer a need for Late Night Uses to obtain a Special Use Permit as required.”
Previously, bars open after midnight required a Special Use Permit, which mandated additional security measures such as enhanced lighting and surveillance cameras.
“I’ll tell you this: I love it here. You know, parking can be a little crazy on the weekends, but it’s really a good spot. I love it here,” said resident Nida Jean.
The city noted that the 300-foot restriction is the same as Miami Beach and less than Tampa’s 500-foot restriction.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: