Alcohol Sales in the South Santa Rosa County Tourism District

After a noticed public hearing, the Santa Rosa County Commission voted 4-1 today to align hours of alcohol sales in the South Santa Rosa County Tourist Development District via revision of county ordinance 91-19. The ordinance has been submitted to the state and can take up to 10 days before it is recorded and enacted into law. At that time, alcohol sales will be allowable from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. each day of the week in the South Santa Rosa County Tourist Development District only.

The ordinance change will not impact the sales of alcohol in any other areas of the county. Once the ordinance is properly recorded, the county will announce the change as being effective. Until that time, sale of alcohol and alcohol beverages hours remain 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday – Saturday and noon to midnight, Sunday for the mainland area of Navarre.

In 1991, residents in the south end voiced their support of weekend alcohol sales via a straw poll. The area generally from the Gulf Breeze City limits to the Okaloosa line and south of the Yellow River was established as a special district called the South Santa Rosa County Tourist Development District. The district was divided into two sub areas, Navarre Beach and the Navarre Beach Mainland, which had differing hours for the sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages:

· Navarre Beach – 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., each day of the week.
· Navarre Mainland – 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday – Saturday, noon to midnight, Sunday

Today’s changes in the ordinance align the hours throughout the district to reflect the hours currently allowed on Navarre Beach of 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., each day of the week.