INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners today gave public notice that a hearing of an ordinance change to allow bars and restaurants to stay open one hour later until 2 a.m. would be placed on the July 1 agenda.
Should it be approved, the new closing time would be effective in time for celebrations over the three-day Fourth of July weekend.
The measure was prompted by concerns expressed by small business owners in the unincorporated county in the wake of Vero Beach’s decision to extend alcohol service hours within the city limits just before Memorial Day.
During discussions at a previous county meeting, commissioners said they thought establishments outside the city might be disadvantaged if bar patrons choose city bars instead of county bars.
The decision to move the matter forward passed 4-1 earlier this month with Commissioner Tim Zorc dissenting.
To mirror Vero’s action, the 2 a.m. closing time would be an experiment that would sunset on June 15, 2015, if it’s not extended by the commission. Vero asked for Police Chief David Currey to bring back a report about any harm or increased crime the 2 a.m. closing time might have caused and the county asked Sheriff Deryl Loar to report back to them with similar data.
See related story from VeroNews.com and an extended report on the issue from our sister publication, Vero Beach 32963.