After months of discussion, the City of Clarkesville has passed its alcohol sales ordinance that will allow two liquor stores to open in the city.
The ordinance comes after the city’s November 2021 municipal election, during which voters overwhelmingly passed a measure to allow liquor stores to open in the city with 70 percent of voters supporting the liquor referendum.
The city council has been discussing and fine-tuning the ordinance since December. At their February 7 council meeting, they unanimously voted it into effect.
According to the ordinance, only two liquor stores will be allowed in Clarkesville. For every increase of 2,000 people in the city’s population, the city will allow one additional liquor store to be granted a license to open.
If the city receives more than two license applications for liquor sales, a lottery system will be used to arbitrarily choose who will be granted the license.
Liquor store permits will only be available for free-standing buildings that are at least 2,000 square feet in size, with an additional 1,000 square feet for businesses selling malt beverages as well as liquor. They will not be permitted to open within the city’s historic district.
MORE: Cleveland Council considers online curbside alcohol delivery
Licensing and sales
Licensing fees are as follows:
- Retail sale of packaged beer, wine and malt beverages: $425
- Retail sale of packaged liquor and distilled spirits: $5,000
- Sale of beer, wine and malt beverages by-the-drink: $500
- Sale of liquor and distilled spirits by-the-drink: $2,000
- Wineries and wine tasting rooms: $1,000
The city has also implemented a measure that will only allow one license for the retail sales of alcoholic beverages per person, group, entity or family.
Beer and wine can be sold between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, beer and wine can be sold between 12:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the city.
Liquor stores will only be allowed to sell between 8 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Liquor cannot be sold on Sundays.
Liquor store drive-through sales will not be permitted in Clarkesville, and retailers will not be permitted to sell anything other than cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine products, non-alcoholic beverages, ice, cups, lottery tickets and bar supplies at their establishments. If they have received a permit for the sale of packaged beer, wine and malt beverages as well, they will be permitted to sell those within their store.
When will stores open?
Residents shouldn’t expect liquor stores to open immediately.
Applications for liquor sales licenses are now open and will be for thirty days, according to the ordinance adopted by the council Monday evening. After licensees are fully reviewed by the city to meet the city’s standards, which they have 30 days to meet, the city will post the application for two weeks for public review before their consideration of the application.
The city will have to consider and approve or deny the license for the sale of any alcohol at a city council meeting.
With this in mind, residents should be prepared to wait a few months before liquor stores can be approved to move forward with setting up shop.
