New alcohol laws set for Quincy

The City of Quincy’s new alcohol ordinance, which relaxes local liquor laws, narrowly passed on the first and second reading.

The first reading took place during the July 13 meeting, and the second reading during the July 27 meeting.

There were two primary recommendations for the revisions to the alcohol ordinance:

1. Repeal the separation requirements for establishments selling alcoholic beverages. Repealing the separation requirement allows legally organized establishments which have secured a state license to serve alcohol within the 9-block downtown district and in appropriately zoned areas along the primary commercial corridors of Highway 267 and Highway 90, regardless of how close they are to existing churches, the county courthouse, or other establishments that sell alcohol. It also only requires establishments selling alcohol to be 500 feet away from a school instead of 750 feet.

2. Amend the provisions regarding the consumption of alcohol in public places. Amending the provision on the consumption of alcohol in public places will allow the public to consume alcohol in the targeted geographic areas of the 9-blocks of Downtown Quincy and select venues during special events with the approval of the Office of the City Manager.

Commissioners Angela Grant-Sapp and Frieda Bass-Prieto both said they were concerned about how the ordinance would affect surrounding residential areas.

“The goal here was to make sure we’re not more restrictive than the state, we think we have accomplished that per your direction,” Community Redevelopment Agency manager Robert Nixon told the commissioners.

Nixon previously told the board another purpose of this revision is to develop a local ordinance that will promote economic and tourist development in the Historic Downtown District and along the city’s commercial corridors.

Nixon said the relaxed liquor laws would allow for “Walk and Sip” or “Sip and Stroll” events to be hosted in those commercial areas.

Emmanuel Sapp, commissioner Grant Sapp’s husband, voiced his concerns to the commissioners about the nuisances the ordinance could bring, such as loud music being played at 2 and 3 a.m.

“We’re a rural area looking at metropolitan ideas, and if you’re going to open up the city with metropolitan ideas, you must include family values,” Sapp said.

Mayor Harris said he understands the concerns the commission is receiving from the public in regard to the noise.

“However, this ordinance, or this ordinance that is before us - I don’t believe it allows for the continuation of the things we consider to be a nuisance,” Harris said. “I just believe they’re apples and oranges.”

Harris explained that he doesn’t believe it’s the businesses in downtown Quincy that’s contributing to the noise, but that he felt the blame was more on private individuals causing disturbances.

“I just simply believe that this ordinance that’s before us commissioners is not the ordinance to address those issues, that we need to take that up in a separate manner,” said Harris.

Bass-Prieto said she had an issue with the ordinance applying to properties zoned for mixed use.

“When you looked at my district did you look at the end of West Franklin Street?” Bass-Prieto asked Robert Nixon, who had helped draft the ordinance.

Bass-Prieto said if bars open there, they could be located less than 500 feet from homes on Franklin, Washington and King Streets.

“I don’t think that’s fair to our citizens,” Bass-Prieto said.

Grant-Sapp said she was in favor of having restaurants, or any sports bars that will entertain with food, open in the city - but Sapp added that she would prefer that they only allow sports bars whose food sales are at least 51 percent of their revenue.

“But if we’re talking about opening up more pubs - just music and liquor alcohol - that’s not the image that we need to project, and that’s not the economic growth that we need to be projected to our citizens,” Grant-Sapp said.

Grant-Sapp also noted that noise concerns within the city need to be addressed at a later date.

The ordinance passed on first and second reading with a 3-2 vote.

Mayor Ronte Harris and Commissioners Keith Dowdell and Anessa Albritton-Candidate voted in favor of the new alcohol ordinance, while Commissioners Freida Bass-Prieto and Angela Grant-Sapp voted against it.

Erin Hill - Gadsden County News Service

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New alcohol laws set for Quincy

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Friends, family, and Greensboro community mourn the loss of Steve Safford

Upping the Mills: County property taxes may increase

Upping the Mills: County property taxes may increase

Recommended

Bills filed for improvements around Gadsden County

“Steak Out” dinner held to support Shade Tobacco Museum

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