 Newton Main Street proposes Common Consumption Area
At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Commission heard a proposal from Newton Main Street to create a Common Consumption Area in downtown Newton.
A Common Consumption Area is a designated area where patrons of legal age may carry and consume alcoholic beverages purchased from licensed local establishments. The beverages must be in approved containers and consumed within the defined public areas and in participating businesses.
The purpose is to create a lively, pedestrian-oriented environment while supporting local vendors. It encourages people to linger outdoors and move freely between businesses while enjoying their drinks, increasing foot traffic and revenue. Several other Kansas cities have adopted Common Consumption Areas in recent years, including Wichita’s Delano District and the downtown areas in Augusta, Salina, Manhattan, Hays and Liberal.
Main Street Coordinator Jen Lehman said an established Common Consumption Area can be a recruitment tool for new businesses. In a recent survey, the number one new business respondents wanted to see in Newton was a brewery.
Commissioners asked about the possible need for additional law enforcement in a Common Consumption Area. Police Chief Craig Dunlavy said he didn’t anticipate unmanageable issues, especially with clearly marked boundaries and times. Lehman said the other cities did not report an increase in alcohol-related problems or a need for increased police presence.
A number of downtown Newton businesses have expressed interest in participating if a district is established. Prairy owner Aaron Gaeddert said Common Consumption is not something his business would promote every day, but it would enhance special events like Third Thursdays and the annual Wine Walk.
The proposal will come back to the Commission for consideration at a future meeting.
Newton Housing Authority
The Commission started the process of removing and replacing the board members of the Newton Housing Authority. The five-member board had three seats open for appointments and two sitting members.
The City Commission said the board had failed to resolve the concerns raised by the Commission at their joint meeting last year. The concerns surrounded communication and transparency, the treatment of residents, procedures for addressing resident complaints, and strategies for evaluating resident satisfaction. The meeting followed years of continual complaints to the City from NHA residents.
In February, the Housing Authority received a designation of substandard management from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and was required to submit a plan to address the deficiencies within 30 days. The City requested a copy of that plan from NHA but has not received it.
The two sitting board members, Deborah Kingsley and Amanda Buffalo, will be sent a letter seeking their removal from the board. They are entitled to a hearing before the City Commission, set for 7 p.m. June 23 at the next Commission meeting.
The Commission appointed Cindy Simons, Greg Yutzy, and Kay Self to fill the three open seats previously held by Joe Carbajal, Jason Shipley, and Scott Kiehl.
- Allocated $36,000 to continue the Downtown Façade Improvement Grant Program. Since the program began in 2024, 23 awards have been granted to downtown building owners for exterior improvements, generating over $232,000 in investment.
- Approved a new funding agreement with the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce that expands its promotion responsibilities to the whole community rather than only downtown and enhances annual reporting requirements. The $35,000 funding includes a new $5,000 allocation for first-year membership dues for qualifying new Chamber members.
- Approved a temporary alcohol permit for the downtown Wine Walk on June 18.
- Approved a Special Use Permit for 320 S. Pine, to allow the homeowners to construct a two-story garage building.
The full agenda packet and meeting video are available online.
For more information, please contact Communications Director Erin McDaniel at 316-284-6055 or emcdaniel@newtonkansas.com.
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