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The LaGrange City Council has approved an amendment to the city’s special events ordinance to allow more downtown businesses to participate in temporary alcohol sales.

The amendment will allow entities with alcohol pouring licenses in the downtown district to set up a temporary location at a special event to be approved by the city.

The change came at the request of the Downtown LaGrange Development Authority (DLDA), which asked the city to modify the ordinance so that downtown restaurants and bars could participate in special events such as the annual St. Patrick’s Day Block Party.

Under the previous ordinance, businesses in the special event zones were only able to serve alcohol from right in front of their stores.

DLDA Director Bill Hunnicutt said other businesses in the downtown area requested to be able to set up a tent in the special event area to also serve alcohol, but they weren’t able to do so under the ordinance. In particular, the bars along Main St. wanted to do so during this year’s St. Patrick’s event, which was held on Bull St. one block over.

Traditionally, the block party rotates between Bull and Main St., so under the new ordinance businesses on the other street will now be able to participate.

City Attorney Jeff Todd said businesses will need to apply to participate and have a pouring license in the downtown area to serve alcohol at the special events.

Todd said vendors at Sweetland Amphitheatre could also potentially participate if they have pouring licenses in the downtown area.

The change was unanimously approved by the council.

In other business, the council:

4 Modified the covenants and restrictions for Southview Annex Cemetery to allow for slabs to be placed over gravesites. The change was made at the request of Wanda Barrett, whose husband’s grave had another person’s remains buried above his casket.

4 Held a public hearing and first reading for a Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals recommendation to annex and rezone an approximately 4-acre property in the 1700 block of West Point Rd. No one spoke for or against the measure.

4 Called for a public hearing on May 9 for a Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals recommendation to annex and rezone a one-acre property located at 187 South Davis Rd. to combine it with a 16-acre multi-family tract.