Orlando extends moratorium on downtown nightclubs – again

ORLANDO, Fla. - The City of Orlando has once again extended a moratorium on downtown nightclubs, city officials voted on Monday. 

The six-month halt on applications, permits and zoning approvals has been extended to Sept. 20, the Orlando City Council decided Monday. The original moratorium was adopted on March 20, 2023, and was extended that August. It would have expired on March 20 of this year had it not been extended by the Orlando City Council. 

Why is Orlando extending the moratorium? The city said it's working on ways to "appropriately regular nightclubs" in downtown Orlando. That includes either regulating alcoholic beverages or making changes to the city's Land Development Code. 

"This extension is needed to allow more time for research and outreach," the City of Orlando said, adding that the high concentration of nightclubs in the area leads to "negative secondary effects of the high concentration of nightclubs, such as loitering, noise, public intoxication, and cruising by both patrons and non-patrons attracted to the current mix of late-night uses and the lack of daytime activity caused by businesses, such as nightclubs, that are only open in the late-night hours."

The city could repeal the ordinance on a date before Sept. 20 if they see fit.