Liquor stores will face even more restrictions under a revised proposal approved by the Columbia County Planning Board Thursday evening.
The updated ordinance proposal would forbid any new liquor stores within 1,000 feet of a church, school, park or alcohol rehabilitation facility. Previously, commissioners had considered a restriction of 200 feet, then upped it to 600 feet before settling on a 1,000-foot buffer. The proposal would also restrict new liquor stores to areas zoned for commercial use.
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Currently the law restricts new liquor stores from operating within 500 feet of another liquor store, and the stores must be 100 feet or more away from a church.
“This is a public hearing. Is anyone here who would like to give us some liquor talk?” asked Jim Cox, chairman of the planning board. No one spoke for or against the ordinance.
The proposal goes before the Columbia County commissioners for a first hearing May 3, said Scott Sterling, the county’s planning director.
Early in the year commissioners Connie Melear and Gary Richardson began working on changing the law in the county to keep all new liquor stores to a minimum. Their proposed ordinance would prevent new liquor stores from opening within one mile of another liquor store. There are currently 17 liquor stores in the suburban county and a majority of those are within one mile of another liquor store. But those businesses would be allowed to stay open under the proposed ordinance, Sterling said.
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Melear became concerned when three businessmen all filed for permission to open three separate liquor stores on three corners of the intersection of Furys Ferry Road and Evans to Locks Road in Evans, which is in Melear’s district. Only one store was granted permission to open – over Melear’s objection. She was the only commissioner to vote against that one store being allowed to open. It is currently under construction.
Thursday’s vote by the planning board is just one step in the process. The issue goes before the commissioners twice before it can become law – on May 3 and then for a final vote May 17.
Joshua B. Good is a staff reporter covering Columbia County and military/veterans’ issues for The Augusta Press. Reach him at joshua@theaugustapress.com
