Mayor Vetoes Changes To Canton Alcohol Ordinance

CANTON, GA -- The Canton City Council on Thursday will discuss and consider action on Mayor Gene Hobgood's veto of changes to the city's alcohol ordinance.

The called meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at Canton City Hall. The City Council at its July 20 meeting voted 5-1, with Council member Jack Goodwin opposing, to revise the ordinance to allow for on-site consumption sales by retail package stores in the historic downtown district.

The request, which was put forth by Stout's Growlers, had been debated for months by city leaders. In his veto, Hobgood question whether it makes sense to have food requirements for restaurants that sell alcohol by the drink, but not for stores such as Stouts.

"Is it logical to require food to be available when someone goes into a restaurant and orders a Miller Lite, but no food requirements when someone orders a beer in a growler store with a 13 to 14-percent alcohol content?" Hobgood asks. "I'm having a difficult time justifying what this ordinance does."

He also outlined that the 25-percent maximum consumption rule was "arbitrary," and that he was concerned about amending the city's ordinance for a fourth time to accommodate a "specific class of business."

"If this amendment is necessary for the vitality of this business, then it is likely that additional requests will follow to increase the 25-percent maximum consumption requirement in the near future," he added.

The change would also be the first where the city would allow on-premise consumption of beer and wine and retail package sales at the same establishment. It would also be the first where the city allows on-premise consumption without any food service requirements in place.

"Is this Council prepared to go the route of allowing an establishment pouring alcohol without the availability of food?," Hobgood asks. "This would be a major change in our alcohol ordinance and in the direction of this city."

He also said the city should only have two licenses for the sale of beer and wine: one for package sales and one for on-premise consumption. That should be in place whether nor not they are located within or outside the historic downtown district.

Hobgood later said he recommends appointing a committee of two City Council members and two citizens to work with the city manager and city attorney to draft a simplified ordinance that would "fairly" allow package sales and on-site consumption for all businesses desiring to do so.

"We cannot afford to continuously piecemeal our ordinance," the mayor concludes. "We must decide the direction our city should take as it relates to alcohol package sales and pouring."

For its part, Stout's noted on its Facebook page that city leaders continue to "give and they take" on this issue.

The veto, the company added, was a disappointing action, "especially after all of the support that you showed for the ordinance change prior to the last vote."

Once again, Stout's is rallying its troops to come out and support efforts to override Hogbood's veto.

"If you want to be able to enjoy beer and wine by the glass anytime you visit Stout’s Growlers, we need you to show your support by reaching out to the Mayor and City Council and showing up on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to speak or be present in support of the ordinance change…or both," it added.

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