McCaysville residents will be able to speak for or against multiple changes to the city’s alcohol ordinance when their elected officials meet in September and October.
Council members approved the latest draft of an ordinance amendment at their regular meeting August 11.
The changes it includes come after months of conversations, both in city council meetings and out of the publics’ hearing.
The amendment is the third to come before the council since June 9. It allows the package sale of malt beverages (beer) and wine, creates special permits that extend the last call for serving alcohol by the drink, changes the citizenship requirement for license holders, and allows wine tastings.
The ordinance sets various restrictions for package sales and limits them to the downtown business area where alcohol is currently sold.
A package license to sell either malt beverages or wine would cost $3,500 for the first year, or $7,000 for both.
The annual renewal fee would be $1,000 each or $2,000 for both.
However, if the business held by-the-drink licenses for both malt beverages and wine, and paid those annual renewal fees, which would total $2,000 for both, there would be no extra fee for the package license renewals. That is, after the initial license fee is paid for all four licenses, the renewal fee cap for four licenses would be $2,000 per year, the same amount as for two licenses.
Holders of by-the-drink licenses would also be able to apply for special event permits that would allow extending “last call” from 11:45 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
These permits would be available up to 12 times per year.
The amendment changes the citizenship requirement from being a resident of Fannin County to being a resident of the United States.
Wine tastings, with a special permit, will be allowed for businesses holding a package wine sale license. Such tastings are not to last more than four hours and end by 9 p.m.
Noticeably missing from this latest amendment are happy hours that had been included in previous versions.
Citizen comments will be heard before the regular council meetings September 8 and October 13 at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The council is expected to vote on the ordinance October 13.