Zeeland council lifts decades-old ban on Sunday alcohol sales

ZEELAND, Mich. —  Cheers! 

Zeeland businesses will soon be able to serve alcohol on Sundays, following a city council vote to overturn a decades-old ban on beer and wine sales.

Council members voted 6-1 at their Nov. 17 meeting on the ban, which permits licensed establishments to sell beer, wine and spirits starting at noon on Sundays. Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen cast the lone "no" vote.

City officials were considering the change for several months, driven by increasing interest from local businesses. Officials, however, said the push really came from the owners of downtown restaurant The Gritzmaker, who said Sunday alcohol sales account for up to 20% of revenue at their other locations. 

The decision to lift the ban is aimed at bolstering local business revenue and enhancing the downtown social scene, according to officials. The new policy allows on-premises licensees to sell alcohol from noon to 2 a.m. on Sundays.

Historic ban 

Zeeland prohibited the sale of alcohol entirely for nearly a century until a public vote legalized it in 2006, passing by a margin of 40 votes. Zeeland then allowed alcohol sales during the week, but continued the ban for Sunday sales.

Michigan state law still grants local governing bodies the option to prohibit alcohol sales on Sunday mornings between 7 a.m. and noon. However, the city’s recent vote goes further by opening up the entire Sunday afternoon and evening.

The decision follows a long history of restrictive alcohol laws in the area. Ottawa County was previously the last county in the state to ban beer and wine sales on Sundays. A 1976 petition drive to legalize Sunday beer and wine sales failed at the ballot box, despite proponents excluding hard liquor in an effort to broaden support.

In addition to the alcohol sales ordinance, city council updated the city’s social district policy. The policy will be expanded to designated parks, allowing people to drink alcohol in those areas during the summer months.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.