After receiving support last week from the Regional Planning Commission, Elizabethton City Councilmen will look at an ordinance that could potentially bring additional foot traffic and revenue to the area.

Officials will look at a couple of ordinances in regards to city codes, but amendments to Title 8 and Title 14 could allow pub bars to set up shop downtown.

The proposed amendments are different from the ones that Council looked at months ago. During a past meeting, Council members voted to allow microbreweries to be allowed and regulated downtown.

But the newest proposal came in after the city received notice that a business is interested in opening a “tap room” downtown, according to City Planning and Development Director Jon Hartman.

In the report issued by the director, the establishment intends to sell craft beer and cider produced locally with the hope of selling wine at some point in the future.

Hartman stated that current city regulations would not allow for an “alcohol only” establishment, which has caused the business to halt their plans. The director added the business hopes to mirror their model provided by Johnson City Brewery Tap Room and the Atlantic Ale House in Johnson City.

With the new changes, establishments would be allowed to set up in downtown zones and could only sell fermented alcoholic beverages like beer, wine and cider — but no liquor.

“The hope is that by eliminating liquor, establishments like dive bars would not be profitable or interested in opening such an establishment downtown,” Hartman stated in the report. “The proposed changes to the beer regulations make pub bars comply with the same regulations as microbreweries in that they must have food items available either freely or for purchase.”

Regulations would also change the location for the sale of beer to be allowed on sidewalks where businesses have an encroachment agreement.

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Another plan that will be looked at Thursday is the adoption of a hazard mitigation plan.

The City of Elizabethton, City of Watauga and Carter County have been working under a plan from 2006 and in order to receive FEMA and TEME funding for disasters, the municipals must have a plan in place, Hartman stated.

According to the proposed plan, officials with Carter County Emergency Management Agency have identified natural disasters that can take place in the region. Hartman stated in his report that EMA worked with several Elizabethton departments and that the plan represents the city well. County officials have already adopted the plan.