The Town of Loomis will consider establishing an Entertainment Zone in February and March of 2026. The Town is seeking community feedback on the Entertainment Zone and any related concerns regarding its potential operation.
What is an Entertainment Zone (EZ)?
An Entertainment Zone is a designated area where patrons of a beer manufacturer, wine manufacturer, or on-sale licensee may leave the premises with an open container of an alcoholic beverage for consumption off the premises but within the boundaries of the EZ. Consumption of alcohol may only occur if the necessary conditions, requirements, and guidelines are adhered to by the patron.
Why would Loomis want to have an Entertainment Zone?
An EZ would promote economic activity for all retailers along Taylor Road and would enhance and expedite events as well. Businesses in downtown Loomis requested the creation of the EZ to do just that. Peer cities such as Auburn have already adopted an EZ. Auburn staff shared that its EZ has been successful so far, and they have not had any safety incidents since their EZ was activated in early December 2025. Auburn created their EZ to activate their downtown retail businesses by retaining the public within the downtown for longer periods of time. Promoting business activity in downtown Loomis is critical to the Town’s success as Loomis competes for customer dollars with nearby cities that offer increasingly more “draws” for their own downtowns.
How will this entertainment zone work in Loomis?
The EZ proposal would operate from Thursday through Sunday. Thursday and Friday hours would be 4 pm to 10 pm. Saturday and Sunday hours would be 10 am to 10 pm. In addition, the EZ would operate on specific holidays: Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. To ensure EZ boundaries are clear, there will be signage, sidewalk stickers, and maps.
What is the process for creating an entertainment zone?
The Town Council formed an Ad Hoc Committee with two councilmembers and one staff to develop an Entertainment Zone management plan/ordinance in October 2025. The Town has held multiple meetings with stakeholders and public safety officials to gather input on the EZ. The Town will also hold an open house regarding the EZ on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 from 5 pm – 6:30 pm at the Depot Council Chamber located at 5775 Horseshoe Bar Road.
The process for adopting an EZ ordinance entails two public hearings at the Town Council. At the first hearing (i.e. “first reading”), the Council discusses the ordinance and may direct staff on any revisions. At the second hearing (i.e. “second reading”) the council may move to adopt the ordinance, which if approved by vote, would become effective 30 days later. The first Council hearing is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday February 10, 2026. The second reading would then be at the March Town Council meeting.
How can the public participate in the discussion about the entertainment zone?
Loomis will hold an open house on January 28, from 5 pm to 6:30 pm at the Depot Council Chambers, located at 5775 Horseshoe Bar Road. A representative from the Sheriff’s Office will attend.
What controls is Loomis considering to ensure public safety?
The Sheriff is briefed on the EZ and on-call for any incidents should they be reported. Other measures include plastic cups, wristband IDs and public awareness regarding expected behavior and legal consequences should participants not adhere to regulations. If there are multiple complaints and/or issues, the Town Council always retains the ability to suspend the operation of the EZ at any time.
Is Loomis including the Sheriff’s Office in the discussion?
Absolutely. The Town has had multiple discussions with the Sheriff’s Office about the EZ.
Are there other entertainment zones in the area?
Several cities in Northern California have established Entertainment Zones.
- Sacramento has multiple zones in Midtown (Lavender Heights, K Street) and near the Convention Center. Sacramento is also expanding these zones.
- Auburn recently established two Entertainment Zones: Old Town which includes Commercial and Washington Streets, and Downtown which includes Lincoln Way and High Street. Auburn chose to incorporate additional safeguards in their ordinance to increase public safety. Read more about Auburn’s EZ.
- Redding allows alcohol consumption with a large part of Redding’s downtown EZ.