Group Reviewing Changes To Atlanta's Alcohol Code

The Atlanta Alcohol Technical Advisory Group will be reviewing some of its recommendations for changing the city’s alcohol code on Wednesday evening.

The meeting will be held in committee room 2 at Atlanta City Hall at 6:30 pm.

“I attend a lot of public meetings, and this is one subject that people attend and stay for the entire meeting,” said Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond, post 1 at-large. “We’ve had some gripping testimony from the public on this topic.”

Bond sponsored the legislation creating the board, which is made up of 17 members appointed by Mayor Kasim Reed, the Atlanta City Council and community and business groups. The board is examining and recommending changes to the city’s alcohol code, which deals with the licensing of establishments that sell liquor, beer and wine, as well as the enforcement of such laws.

“Every NPU, business and community group I’ve been to, are all vitally interested in this issue,” Bond said. “This is a real area of contention.”

During last month's meeting, the group to sell beer and wine in a nearby neighborhood. Opponents argued the community already has too many small grocers and stores that sell beer and wine.

Renewals for establishments that sell alcohol are up for renewal in November, so Bond said his group “has to finish and complete our recommendations for changes, and then present them to the city council. Any changes have to be made before those licenses come up for renewal.

“We don’t want to rush our work, but we also don’t want to allow any bad actors to get a free ride and make life difficult for those who do obey the laws.”