Following a request by police, the alcohol-free zone that has been in operation in Cootamundra's CBD since 2016 will be extended for another four years.
Councillors agreed to the extension at the August meeting, on the understanding that such a provision will not necessarily exclude alfresco dining on footpaths outside licensed premises.
In answer to a question from Councillor Gil Kelly, general manager Phil McMurray said Gundagai no longer had an alcohol-free zone, because the previous Gundagai Shire Council had decided to trial going without it.
"They decided to let it expire given that there have been changes to liquor licensing regulations which allow for food businesses to serve alcohol on the street," Mr McMurray said.
"After the upgrade of the main street it was a different type of environment, and the streetscape provided an opportunity for alfresco dining which includes serving alcohol."
Cr Kelly said the reason he had asked was because he would love to see something similar here in Cootamundra.
"I'm just wondering if we impose these measures will it exclude alfresco dining areas?"
The council's manager of civil works, Mark Ellis, said alfresco dining would not necessarily be impinged by the zone.
"We were approached by the police commander about re-establishing the zone," he said.
"Their main concern was that they needed extra powers to stop undesirables walking up and down with open containers of alcohol and doing things like throwing glasses at cars parked in the street.
"Obviously it's been pretty quiet over the last six months with covid, but that was their recommendation, along with a request that we extend the zone to the laneways either side of Parker Street."
The council's manager of development, building and compliance, Sharon Langman, said council currently had a footpath dining policy that specifically excluded the service of alcohol on the footpath, but she would be bringing a report back to next month's council meeting with a view to amending that policy.
