Durham residents can now enjoy an alcoholic drink with brunch starting two hours earlier on Sundays.
The Durham City Council met on Monday to amend the city code, allowing restaurants to begin selling alcohol at 10 am instead of noon.
Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 155, or the Brunch Bill, into law on June 30, allowing local governments to amend their ordinances to permit earlier alcohol sales on Sunday mornings.
It only took Carrboro and Raleigh a week after the law was made to pass new regulations allowing earlier alcohol sales on Sundays. Carrboro and Chapel Hill called special meetings to pass the ordinance because the local government bodies were on recess for the summer. Hillsborough opted into the ordinance in late July.
Durham chose to go through its standard legislative process while the City Council was continuing to hold regular meetings.
Despite the amendment passing unanimously 7-0, not everyone in attendance was on board.
Minister of the Nation of Islam, Rafiq Zaidi, gave a public comment during the meeting saying that the change could increase crime and violence in Durham.
“Have we given up on a religious day- Sunday morning? Those of you who have sat idly by in silence, and seen them pass this ordinance, the blood is on your hands,” said Zaidi.
On Monday, Durham County, Wake County and Garner also passed amendments allowing earlier Sunday alcohol sales. Monday’s decision from Durham and Wake counties also means that earlier alcohol sales on Sunday mornings can begin at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Orange County Commissioners are on summer recess and have shown no indication they would be taking up the ordinance that would only impact unincorporated Orange County.
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