The Social District

The Social District from an Family First Perspective

February 18, 2025

Click here to see the Social District.

Click here to watch the Board of Commissioners meeting recording. (24:10)

“I’m pleased to come before you again to speak about the proposed Social District. I still have nothing against responsible drinking or the businesses that sell alcohol.

This town has been my home all my life. I think of the children I will have and the town I want to raise them in. I want to take long walks Downtown, enjoy H L Miller Park, and relax in a Social District filled with comfortable seating. I envision cards over a picnic table, and a casual get-together with friends and neighbors to chat, eat, and people-watch while my children and their friends scribble with chalk or blow bubbles. I see a place filled, year-round, with young couples, families, and members of all generations, and all of this in Downtown.

A Social District should be one that not only welcomes families but beckons them in. Must open containers of alcohol in public come first if we want to build and strengthen our community? Why does the public consumption of alcohol equal vibrancy? Is this town not already a vibrant place, with a bustling Downtown and ever-growing suburbia?

We look to other towns’ policies to replicate, but why should we? People come here because this town is unique. If we model ourselves after our surroundings, we are no different or better than our surroundings, and we will lose our identity and what makes us special.

Therefore, I encourage the Board of Commissioners to vote AGAINST amending Ordinance Chapter 20, Article one, General Section 20-2. Thank you for your time.”

The Social District from Other Residents’ Perspectives – Abby’s Survey

March 18, 2025

Click here to see the Social District.

Click here to read Abby’s survey of residents.

Click here to watch the Board of Commissioners meeting recording. (1:01:30)

“It is clear that the Town and many of the Downtown business owners desire a Social District. However, I was unable to locate any singular or combined poll surveys put forth by the Town through Town News or social media to discover what the residents desire.

As a life-long resident and concerned citizen, I wanted to find out what other residents thought about the issue. Since the February Board of Commissioners meeting, I have canvassed 46 homes along South Main Street, which is one of the most trafficked thoroughfares to Downtown. Of the 46 residences, 22 people answered the survey – 48%. My findings are as follows:
+ Only 10 residents are in favor of a Social District, less than half of the residents I was able to speak to
+ Of those 10, 1 openly admitted they were an alcoholic and this meant more access to alcohol
+ 80% of residents I surveyed will not go Downtown more often if there was a Social District
+ 14% of residents stated they will actually AVOID Downtown if there was a Social District because they would not feel safe
+ These percentages are based on one signature per household. There are another 3 people in those separate households that were also not in favor of a Social District.
+ Two long-time residents at separate addresses stated they are planning to move away. They said they feel the Town no longer cares about what the residents think, or listens to what residents want. They said that the town is no longer family friendly.
+ The majority of responses from the residents are either not in favor at all, or unsure about a Social District and they would like the opportunity to receive more information and discuss it further in order to make a more informed decision

The Social District is intended to draw more people Downtown. My findings indicate reality points in a different direction.

The Social District is also intended to attract young adults. Only three residents I surveyed are under 40 years old. Coincidentally, in researching North Carolina’s Judicial Reports on DWI convictions, the demographic most often convicted of DWIs are young adults. Just last month, a young woman drove while intoxicated and totaled her car on our next-door neighbor’s trees. Had those trees not been there, she may have ended up in our neighbor’s car port or living room.

Social Districts are apparently very popular, but again, I discovered that the vast majority of residents along South Main were completely unaware that a Social District is in the works. Most of them did not know what a Social District was at all. I must ask, how can residents be in favor of something if they don’t know about it or understand it? If my neighborhood’s responses are a reflection of the town as a whole, then 55% or more of residents do not want or are unsure about a Social District.

Do other neighborhoods near Downtown feel the same as my own community on and around South Main Street, which is directly effected by the Social District? Do residents want a Social District, or is support limited to mainly Downtown businesses and friends and patrons of those businesses? Unfortunately, a large portion of residents do not routinely visit or patron Downtown. Is the voice of those residents important, as well? The Town posts a reoccurring weekly “What’s Up” notifier on the Town’s Facebook Page, As you can see by this slide, such posts and surveys have routinely been given to other Town endeavors. The Social District, which has been on the agenda for several months, has had no mention at all on the Town’s media or news pages.

In fairness and transparency, I ask that the Town delay the final vote on the Social District and instead offer at least one open house to residents on the matter. I ask that the Town use its “Your Opinion Matters” graphic on social media to post more than one survey about what residents think about the Social District.

Again, I ask the Commissioners to delay this final vote on amending Ordinance Chapter 20, Article one, General Section 20-2 until a town-wide survey is conducted. Thank you for your time.”

A Response to the Town of Wake Forest’s Business-Only Survey

November 18, 2025

Click here to see the Social District.

Click here to read Abby’s survey of residents.

Click here to watch the Board of Commissioners meeting recording. (42:17)

“When the Social District was introduced for consideration in June, I was surprised, for I had heard nothing of a Social District in the works. When I went online to learn more, I discovered that while the Town was constantly reaching out for resident feedback on park developments, and announcing upcoming Downtown and park events, there were exactly zero announcements that a Social District was coming. No open houses. No resident feedback requests.

I composed my own resident survey and door knocked up and down my street, I discovered that the majority of residents who answered the survey had no idea what a Social District even was, much less that the Town was considering one. My survey concluded that about half of residents on my street were not in favor of a Social District. I presented my findings to the Board at the June Board of Commissioners meeting, and asked for at least one open house or survey before the Board voted on the district.

Now, almost six months later, while Downtown businesses and patrons have received numerous surveys, there has still been nothing asked of the residents who live within walking distance of Downtown. What do those residents think of the Social District? No one knows, because they haven’t been asked since I invested my time to consult with my neighbors back in June.

I am disappointed in the lack of Town outreach. I would like to see more engagement with Town residents, whether they do or do not participate in Town events.

Thank you for your time.”