Over a year after the pilot program was approved and a decade after the concept was legalized in Colorado, Denver is close to opening applications for common liquor consumption areas in the city.

The five-year pilot will allow businesses to establish areas where customers can mingle outdoors and walk between businesses with alcoholic beverages. Currently, city rules require patrons to finish drinks before leaving a venue.

On Wednesday, the Denver City Council business committee moved forward with a proposal to open applications for common consumption areas on June 1 – 45 days sooner than currently planned.

“We’re hoping we can kick off this pilot program … as a way to reactivate some community spaces safely and thoughtfully and provide the businesses within our neighborhoods the opportunity to use this tool,” said Erica Rogers with the Department of Excise and Licenses.

Rogers said applications should also open sooner because city officials don’t need the time to build records and prepare, as they’ve already had an extra year.

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While the common consumption pilot program was approved in 2019, Excise and Licenses didn’t finish the rule making process until last week because of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denver’s common consumption areas won’t be like New Orleans or Las Vegas, as the designated areas will be strictly enforced and limited to no larger than 100 acres.

Areas will need to be approved by city council and licensed by Excise and Licenses. Potential candidates are the Dairy Block, McGregor Square, Larimer Square, the Santa Fe Art District and the Great Hall at Denver International Airport.

Licenses for regular common consumption areas will last a year and be renewable annually. Temporary licenses will be available for events, lasting fifteen days.

Other Colorado cities have already taken advantage of common consumption areas since the state legislature legalized them in 2011, including Ivywild School in Colorado Springs and Ninth Street Plaza in Greeley.

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The proposal to open applications on June 1 was approved by the committee with no discussion. It will have to pass a full city council vote in May before being implemented.

If the proposal is not approved, applications for common consumption areas will open around mid-July.

“All of the other requirements are the same, the details for the plan,” Rogers said. “It’s just the day we can accept applications that would change.”

Rogers said it will take the typical applicant three to four months to get through the licensure process once they apply.

The process includes the initial application submission, an agency review, a public hearing, a city council review and inspections by multiple agencies.