Alcoholic Beverages

Ordinance

Public Meeting
Thursday, February 28, 2018
12noon and 6:00 p.m.
 AGENDA
• Background of the Alcoholic Beverages Ordinance
• Define convenience stores
– Distance requirements
• Temporary events
• Transfer of alcoholic licenses
• Require security plans
• Reference responsible parties
• Define “retail areas” in Alcohol Density Overlay District
• Establish minimum capacity for event venue
• Consider coin operated amusement devises
 Background
• August 2016: Revisions to Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance
Approved by City Council
– Comprehensive review and significant revisions to previous ordinance,
largely unchanged from 1998
– Omitted redundant provisions and eliminated those addressed in State law.
Added new licensing requirements, including:
• Licensing matrix
• Requirement for proof of financial responsibility
• Public safety plan
• Server permits {enlarge scope}
• Licensed alcoholic beverage caterers
• Samples
• Event venues
• Underage permits and requirements

• January 1, 2017: Revisions to Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance

went into effect
 Purpose of Ordinance
Establish reasonable and ascertainable standards
for the regulation and control of alcoholic beverages
in a manner to promote the health, safety and
general welfare of the community, while giving
effect to zoning and land use plans, preserving
residential areas with reasonable consideration for
their character and with the general intent of
promoting desirable living conditions and sustaining
the stability of neighborhoods and property values.
 2017 Revisions
January:
• Prohibited alcoholic beverage license
establishments from allowing employees or
customers to engage in public nudity
April:
• Suspended extended issuances of server permits
“bar cards”
September:
• Amended ordinance to allow breweries &
distilleries to sell directly to consumers [State law]
law]
• Expanded to-go cup zone to Savannah River
Landing
 2018 Revisions
February
• Added distance exemptions
June
• Removed the background requirement & added server training for
employees who serve/mix/dispense alcoholic beverages for on premise
premise consumption (Class A, C and H)
• Required server training every 2 years
• Required proof of server training be maintained on the licensed
premise
• Added event venue to the distance exceptions;
• Included event venue as a license class;
• Add language allowing the City to deny, suspend, revoke or refuse to
renew any alcoholic beverage license when the applicant, manager or
any other person with a financial interest in the establishment has
voluntarily surrendered an alcoholic beverage license issued by the City
City within the five-year period immediately preceding the application
date
November
• Provided the sale of alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption
on Sundays, beginning at 11AM*
*Resolution approved 11/7/2018
 Where are we now?
August 16, 2018
• Council directed staff to investigate, advise and offer an opportunity to
implement distance requirements between convenience stores licensed
to sell alcohol
December 5, 2018
• Temporary stay approved to pause the processing of new applications
for licenses to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages
• Opportunity to address proliferation of establishments possessing
licenses to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages
• Only applicable to the 1st and 5th Districts
February 28, 2019
• Extend temporary stay for an additional 60-days [to obtain public
feedback on possible revisions]
District 1
District 5
 Current Ordinance
Sec. 6-1204. - Definitions; general provisions.
• Ancillary retail package store means a Class E
license holder and refers to an establishment
that:
– Engages in the retail sale of malt beverages or wine in
unbroken packages, not for consumption on the
premises; and
– Derives from such retail sale of malt beverages or wine
in unbroken packages less than 25% of its total annual
gross sales
Current Class E Licenses:
Ancillary Retail Package Stores (174)
80

71
70

60

50 47

40

30

19
20

11
10 7
3 3 4
1 1 2 1 2 1 1
0
OPTION 1:
define convenience store
A. Is primarily engaged in retailing a limited line of goods
that generally include milk, bread, soda, and snacks;
B. May include on-site food preparation
C. May or may not have fuel sales
D. Engages in the retail sale of malt beverages or wine in
unbroken packages, not for consumption on the
premises
E. Derives from such retail sale of malt beverages or wine in
unbroken packages less than 25% of its total annual gross
sales
F. Other: __________
OPTION 2:
distance between convenience stores

• Measured by a straight line from the nearest

point on the property line of proposed use to the
nearest point to the property line to another
convenience store

• Distance between convenience stores:

A. 100 yards
B. 250 yards
C. 500 yards
D. Other: _______
OPTION 2:
distance between convenience stores

100 yards 250 yards 500 yards

OPTION 3:
distance between convenience stores
Restrict to certain street types:
A. Arterial (Major/Minor)
• No access to residential lots
• Carries 15,000 to 35,000 vehicles per day
B. Collector
• Access to residential, commercial, mixed-use & industrial
areas
• Carries 1,000 to 8,000 vehicles per day
C. Local
• Access within neighborhoods
• Carries less than 1,000 vehicles per day
D. Other: _________
OPTION 4:
Permitting for Temporary Events
CURRENT ORDINANCE
• Available for private events where alcohol is not sold OR public events
hosted by a non-profit where alcohol is sold or given away to benefit the
non-profit (fundraiser)
• Daily permit expires at midnight
• Permits for up to 3 days
• No limit on number of permits issued
• $25 per permit/application
• Reviewed by Revenue Office with assistance from SPD or Zoning when
needed
OPTION 4:
Permitting for Temporary Events
A. Limit of 6 Temporary Alcohol Permits each year per APPLICANT or
LOCATION
• Encourages the use of licensed venues or licensed caterers, and encourages
existing venues to become licensed
B. Limit hours of serving to 7:00 am – 11:59 pm
C. Submit return to verify non-profit receipt of sales (non-profit event
with sales)
D. Post signs identifying sponsoring non-profit (non-profit event with
sales)
E. Require licensee to remain on premises throughout event
F. Require review of SPD and Zoning
G. Increase fee to $50 per day
H. Other: ___________
OPTION 5:
Eliminate license transfers
CURRENT ORDINANCE
• Must be approved by Mayor and Aldermen
• Transfer in ownership allowed if transferee is “bona
fide” successor at the same business location
• Transfer from one location to another if new location
confirms to all other regulations
• Must notify City of that licensed party is no longer
involved in “timely manner”
OPTION 5:
Eliminate license transfers
A. Eliminate all transfers between owners/applicant or locations until
approved by Mayor and Aldermen
B. Transfer allowed only for “Responsible Party”
 Complete updated application
 New “Responsible Party” must have background check completed to be added to
license
 Licensee/Owner/Applicant must remain the same until approval by Mayor and
Aldermen
C. Define “timely manner” of notification as 10 days
D. Impose fee for untimely notification as 25% of total license cost and
entity must cease all sales until new license received
E. Other: ____________
OPTION 6:
Submit security plans all licenses
Public safety plan currently required for Class C, I and J licenses

Should we apply same requirement to:

A. Class A-Caterer
B. Class B-Manufacturer Distillery/Brewer
C. Class C-Retail Consumption
D. Class D-Retail Package Store
E. Class E-Ancillary Retail Package Store
F. Class F-Wholesaler
G. Class G-Complimentary service
H. Class H-Samples
I. Class I-Underage License
J. Class J-Event Venue
OPTION 7:
referencing responsible parties

Define bouncer:
• Individual primarily performing duties related to verifying age for
admittance, security, maintaining order or safety or a combination

Add language to reflect State Code to assist with

enforcement:
• No person under the age of 21 may serve as a bouncer in an
establishment where alcoholic beverages are dispensed, served or
sold
OPTION 8:
Define “retail space”
Existing Alcohol Overlay District Ordinance:
• Ancillary or ancillary sales of alcohol permitted when use has at least
5,000 sq ft of retail area
• Retail area cannot include any area designated for package sales

Options to use when calculating retail space:

A. Entry halls or foyers
B. Elevator shafts
C. Stairways
D. Janitor, electrical, mechanical or maintenance rooms
E. Restrooms
F. Common areas open to the public
G. Fuel pumping area
H. Other: ___________
OPTION 9:
Update definition of Event Venue

Event venue must have an approved

minimum capacity of ____ persons in public
areas to be considered event venue:

A. 150 persons
B. 300 persons
C. 1,000 persons
D. Based on Fire Marshal Inspection
E. Other: ______________
OPTION 10:
New Ordinance to address Coin Operated
amusement devises
• Provide limitation on the allowable number of machines at one
location
• Require license/registration requirement
• Mandate reporting requirements
• Mandate sign posting
• Require contact info of the owner/operators of machines
• Provide license posting
• Impose fines
 Next Steps

• Rollout survey March 4

• Provide input Thru March 25
• Additional public meeting By March 31
• Present to City Council Mid-April

www.savananhga.gov/alcohol
alcohol@savannahga.gov