Avon Town Council Passes Riverwalk District Ordinance

 A community center serves as a gathering place for town events and activities. Maybe that's a courthouse, public library, or town square. It needs something that draws attention, a place for people to connect as a community. For Avon, this area is the Riverwalk District. This space along White Lick Creek includes room for strolls along the water, outdoor dining, and community events. 

The Easton Grey Project spans 500 acres and includes a variety of sites: apartments, townhomes, and commercial space for restaurants and cafes. Trails and sidewalks connect these communities to their center, the Riverwalk District. This Civic Center is seated along the north side of U.S. highway 36 on Rockville Road and west of the White Lick Creek. 

At the May 28th Avon Town Council Meeting, members finished out the session with the Final Reading of Ordinance 2026-07: Riverwalk District. 

“It's part of our Riverwalk District or our town center project known as Easton Grey. One of the unique things we are able to do by state law is to create a riverwalk district,”  said Town Manager Ryan Cannon during his podcast recapping the meeting. 

This ordinance includes two main goals: establishing the district, and authorizing the town manager to set up a process for an application for alcohol permits to different proprietors.  

Establishing the Riverwalk District comes with the aim of promoting economic development in and around river fronts. This ordinance would change the standard process for the distribution of alcohol permits in areas like these. Being the last step for official approval of the district, adding these liquor licenses would become a way to increase economic development along the river. 

“It will allow us our own application process,” said Cannon. “Then we will be able to make recommendations to the alcohol, tobacco, and firearms commission to issue permits to those businesses, if they meet the town's intent for the riverwalk district.” 

Typically, when permits are approved, alcohol and tobacco commissions have to look at standard population based quotas that are applicable. This ordinance would remove that necessity. The application can be submitted directly to the town. If approved, it is then recommended to the respective commission. It may allow more permits to be distributed than the quota would usually allow. 

The ordinance establishing Riverwalk District was passed unanimously by the council. This addition to the Easton Grey Project will create a focal point for Avon residents.