The Santa Rosa County Commission will discuss correcting an “inconsistency” in its alcohol regulations in the south end of the county this morning.

Commissioner Rob Williamson has asked the commission to discuss an "inconsistency in South Santa Rosa County Tourist Development District alcohol consumption policy."

The current law, adopted in 1991, establishes a tourism district south of the East River. Within that, alcohol sales are allowed from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., seven days a week, on Navarre Beach only.

On the mainland portion of the district, such sales are allowed from 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sunday.

“For us to gain a reputation for being the most business friendly county in the state, we must remove obstacles and provide a level playing field for all,” Williamson said. “Business owners, economic development professionals and entrepreneurs have told me to keep it simple. In this instance that would mean one consistent and fair alcohol policy for our tourism district.”

Williamson did not say what he would like for a unified policy to be.

Santa Rosa County has a tortured history with alcohol sales.

The sale of wine and liquor was illegal countywide until voters changed than in a 2005 referendum – a change that came after decades of failed referendums. Sunday alcohol sales remain illegal north of the East River.

In fact, an event staged in East Milton in March – an endurance race called the Great Gulf Coast Tough Mudder – was held for only one day, a Saturday. Normally, those events are held on Saturday and Sundays, but was truncated because alcohol cannot be sold on Sundays.

Tough Mudder drew more than 14,000 out-of-market visitors to Santa Rosa County, generating more than 4,100 hotel room nights with a total economic impact of $6.1 million, according to the Tough Mudder organization. The group is interested in returning to East Milton, but organizers say they would be more likely to do so if Sunday alcohol sales were allowed.

Williamson’s current proposal, however, would have no impact on that event since it does not occur within the South Santa Rosa Tourism District.

Other items on Monday’s agenda include:

— Sending letters to U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, supporting legislation that would issue titles to leaseholders for the land they lease on Santa Rosa Island.

“Once transferred, the property owners would no longer be required to pay lease fees and pay only the rightful property taxes on the land they own,” the draft letter reads. “Services now provided on the island from lease fees would be taken over by the respective county governments and provided for in the same manner as the mainland areas of each county.

— Discussion of possible sources of funding for five-year, $24.8 million transportation capital improvement program, including potentially reinstating impact fees and increasing the county gas tax.