Trouble after dark? Savannah City Council commissions plan to address nighttime issues

In a city known widely for it's nightlife and relaxed open container laws, much of Savannah's livelihood happens after 5 p.m.

On Thursday, Savannah City Council approved a $80,000 contract to explore the implementation of a citywide night management program.

Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI) will lead the assessment to develop a plan to address nighttime-related issues like public safety, transportation, tourism, noise, and alcohol control while enhancing the growth and vibrancy of Savannah’s nighttime economy.

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“We know we have a fairly robust nighttime economy and nighttime activity in the city of Savannah. It's been the charge of this council to get our arms better around our night time economy and our nighttime activities and management. This assessment is part of that,” Savannah City Manager Jay Melder told council Thursday.

The RHI was founded in 1983 as a global advocate promoting responsible beverage service training and policy but now serves as a source of information on trends and strategies in nighttime economy management in North America. More than 80 cities across the country have received assistance from RHI.

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While the contract was included in the city's fiscal year 2022 budget, Thursday's vote follows a spate of shootings in the heart of Savannah's downtown over the last several weeks.

Early Sunday morning Savannah Police responded to a shooting in the 100 block of W. Congress Street. Less than two hours before officers responded to a shooting a few blocks away at 502 W. Bay Street, which killed Benjamin Tucker, 27, a British national on vacation in Savannah to visit family. Police said the shootings are unrelated.

Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely expressed a desire to ensure that the program spread to all areas of the city.

“I just want to make sure that this is going to be equitable, not just for downtown, not just for (the Starland district), but for the city as a whole," she said.

"We have young African American men dying at an alarming rate on our streets daily. We had a tourist lose his life downtown and that's when I started hearing about this type of stuff."

According to the RHI website, there are four building blocks needed to build a city’s program: foundation, planning, safety and vibrancy.

The four areas include an alliance of stakeholders dedicated to nighttime governance, addressing noise, transportation, waste and other quality of life issues, identifying at-risk venues, venue safety and creating a variety of social experiences in the city’s bars, restaurants, cafes and live music venues.

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"As the city manager indicated, this is kind of the world's leading organization on developing these types of programs. And they come in and they asked us to bring to the table stakeholders from all across the city and those stakeholders are forming the conversation,” said Susan Broker, director, Special Events Film & Tourism.

Broker said both business owners and residents will be included as stakeholders.

“I’ve been with the city for 25 years and the thing that excites me most about this contract is that it’s worked in other areas and the reason it’s worked is because everyone has a seat at the table,” she said.

“A bar owner has a very different perspective than a restaurant owner, than a resident, than an elderly resident, than a young resident, than a short term vacation operator, than an arena operator, so it’s our job, and you hold me and our contract accountable to make sure those individuals are at that table.”

Council unanimously approved the contract after about a half hour of discussion. It could take upwards of 12 months to fully develop the plan.

RHI in other cities

While it's unclear what Savannah's program will look like, the City of St. Augustine, Florida began working with RHI last year to explore an ordinance that would require business owners to get a permit to sell alcohol after midnight.

The RHI has concluded the stakeholder meetings and community outreach for downtown St. Augustine and is compiling the findings to provide an assessment that will be presented at an upcoming City Commission meeting, according to a city spokesperson.

Similarly in March, the City of Austin, Texas approved several programs derived from RHI suggestions aimed at creating a safer environment in the city’s Sixth Street entertainment district.

A series of shooting incidents, including a mass shooting, which left 13 injured and one dead in June 2021, prompted council to adopt a safety plan for the district. .

The programs address the closure of certain areas to allow for seating, dining, and small-scale activations, lighting studies, an entertainment permit provision and encourage bar owners to have written safety plans, training for door staff, codes of conduct and increased communication with the police department.

Katie Nussbaum is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Contact her at knussbaum@savannahnow.com. Twitter: KnussSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: City of Savannah approves contract to develop city-wide night management plan