The Salina City Commission Monday evening approved designating a portion of the downtown area as a drinking area, or Common Consumption Area (CCA), a designated area where people can legally possess and consume alcoholic beverages. 

The regulated “social drinking zone” downtown will be where patrons can drink within the designated boundaries of the area outside of a licensed bar, restaurant, or other eligible establishment that is permitted to sell alcoholic beverages by the State of Kansas and the City of Salina.

CCA does not allow individuals to bring their own alcoholic beverages into the district. Beverages must be purchased from an establishment within or adjacent to the established CCA, who have elected to participate.

Boundaries of the Salina Common Consumption Area include:

• Boundary of Elm St. to the North and South St. to the South.
• 5th and 7th Streets are the boundary to the East and West with bump outs to include the Smoky Hill Museum and 4th Street between Iron and Walnut to include The Garage and The Yard

Patrons will be allowed to remove alcohol liquor, and cereal malt beverages  from the premises of participating establishments into the The Common Consumption Area.

Other communities in Kansas, including Hays, Topeka, Lawrence, Emporia, Pittsburg, and others have already adopted Common Consumption Areas.

The Common Consumption Area passed by a vote of 4 – 1, with Commissioner Bill Longbine casting the lone dissenting vote.

The CCA must now be approved by the sate Alcohol Beverage Control division. It is projected to go into effect in Downtown Salina on September 1st.