Alcohol will be allowed at permitted events on Canyon's downtown Square beginning at 8 a.m. instead of noon after the Canyon City Commission unanimously approved changes to the City's alcohol ordinance during Tuesday's meeting.

The changes came after City Secretary Gretchen Mercer said staff recently learned that alcohol had been served during the Canyon Farmers Market and other events on the Square without one requirement being formally addressed.

Because the City owns the Square, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission requires organizers to obtain a letter from the property owner authorizing alcohol sales. Going forward, event organizers will have to submit that City authorization letter to the TABC before a special event permit can be approved. A standard authorization letter will also be included in the City's event application packet.

The updated ordinance shifts the start time for alcohol consumption during permitted special events from noon to 8 a.m. The 11 p.m. ending time remains unchanged.

According to the meeting agenda, "Clearly defined boundaries identifying where alcoholic beverages may be possessed and consumed, as well as areas where alcohol is prohibited, will continue to be established and enforced for each approved event."

The ordinance also keeps in place the requirement for off-duty Canyon police officers to provide security at events where alcohol is served, although the chief of police can waive that requirement.

Mercer said Police Chief Steve Brush had already planned to require security at Canyon Farmers Market events beginning next year because attendance has grown significantly.

That requirement raised concerns from several owners of mobile alcohol service businesses who attended the meeting. They told commissioners that hiring off-duty officers could add several hundred dollars to the cost of each event. Event organizers, including the Canyon Farmers Market, will be responsible for paying those costs and deciding whether to pass them along to vendors.

Commissioners approved the ordinance on a 4-0 vote.

The commission also held an initial discussion about whether to loosen alcohol restrictions at other City-owned properties.

Current City ordinance prohibits alcohol consumption on City property, including parks and buildings such as the Cole Community Center. Mercer said she reviewed Amarillo's ordinance, which allows alcohol in certain parks and public facilities under specific circumstances, and presented draft language that would allow alcohol only when authorized through a City permit, lease agreement or City-sponsored event.

Mayor Gary Hinders said he supports maintaining the prohibition in City parks.

"I've personally seen issues with alcohol on pretty much every level, at a social level, at a family level. And I think we can take care of things at a specific event and with security, but if you go down that road – you're just asking for problems at the park if you allow it. I really believe that it's less family-friendly," Hinders said.

City Manager Joe Price said staff's primary focus is not on parks but on giving the City more flexibility for events held at facilities such as the Cole Community Center and the Canyon Public Library.

Mercer will continue working on the proposal before bringing it back to the commission for further consideration.