As the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, Winter Garden wasn't just ushering in 2025 but also a new ordinance that puts a new curfew on alcohol sales for local establishments. This regulation, effective yesterday, requires restaurants and bars to refrain from selling alcoholic beverages post-midnight unless they possess a special extension permit, as reported by WFTV.
The permit, which needs to be prominently displayed inside and outside the business, allows venues to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. but not a minute later and comes with a $250 annual price tag. This fee is said to cover the expenses of city staff time needed to review and process the applications. It is part of the city's attempt to reduce public intoxication and the litter that often follows late-night revelries. "It's based on what we find, kind of what we find as an aftermath the next morning," a city official described the motivation behind the law, per WFTV, emphasizing the burden placed on park staff to "clean up the detritus and stuff from the night before."
The ordinance detailed by ClickOrlando aims to target disruptive behaviors and the shift in focus from family activities to drinking, which have contributed to increased costs for the city in police enforcement efforts. Under the new law, establishments without permits are barred from selling, serving, or allowing alcohol consumption from midnight until 7 a.m.
The new law will be enforced under a three-strike rule. For the first offense, the establishment will be given a warning. On a second offense, they are required to meet with city officials and submit a mitigation plan. Subsequently, a third offense would be to lead the business before the Code Enforcement Board for a potential suspension. Businesses that comply with the new ordinance are slated to receive a decal in addition to their permit, which they must display in a visible location.
