Wylie City Councilmembers on Tuesday, May 25, approved an amendment to an ordinance regarding the sale of alcohol.

The approval allows for the sale, possession, and consumption of an alcoholic beverage, as those terms are defined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, for special events approved by the city council or the city manager or their designee, on the premises of a park, recreational area or other public open space or facility or structure owned, leased or operated by the city.

The ordinance does have some exceptions authorizing council, the city manager or their designee to allow such possession and consumption on city property provided that there’s a valid license or permit to sell or serve alcoholic beverages and was issued by the TABC. Additionally, it said that person would be within the area authorized by the TABC for alcohol sales, service or consumption or a lease or rental agreement or other written permission had been granted by the city or the city manager or his designee, allowing the possession and consumption of an alcoholic beverage, subject to conditions or regulations imposed by the city or the city manager or his designee.

The ordinance also brings the city’s regulations into compliance with state law, city officials said, which will limit the city’s authority to enforce prohibitions on the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages to a certain extent.

Also Tuesday, the council held a public hearing on a change of zoning from Commercial Corridor to Planned Development to allow for a rental townhome development on 21 acres, generally located 500 feet northeast from the intersection of State Highway 78 and Brown Street. The applicant withdrew his application on the request, which was a development for the construction of 194 townhome rental units.

The Wylie City Council interviewed two people for the city’s Board of Ethics vacancies. Seven people applied, but just two appeared at the meeting: Jal Dennis, a semi-retired financial consultant, and Lori Villarreal, executive director of Wylie ISD Education Foundation.

During a work session that included Parks and Recreation board members, councilmembers looked at and discussed artist renderings of the proposed aquatics center and improvements made at Lavon Lake parks.

Read more about the meeting in the June 3 edition of The Wylie News.

By Don Munsch [email protected]