The San Luis Obispo City Council began an early discussion Tuesday night about the possibility of creating a hospitality zone in the downtown as one way to address community concerns regarding late-night behavior associated with alcohol consumption. 

Hospitality zones – which have been created in other communities nation-wide – are mixed-used areas with a concentration of restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs, which host festivals, events and markets while expanding the range of activities available to shoppers and visitors through the evening hours.

The zone takes into consideration things like the development of diverse music and entertainment opportunities, planning for outdoor dining, managing panhandling, planning for various transportation options and – perhaps most importantly – is intended to create a collaborative process to manage conflicts like noise, trash and intoxication-related issues.

The concept could be an important step in enhancing the downtown and dealing with existing tensions between daytime and nighttime business operators and neighbors rather than just layering on additional regulation. The city will continue to explore the concept in the coming months and expand stakeholder discussions.