Politics & Government
Sandy Springs Grants Percentage Rent Agreements For Restaurants
The change to the city's alcohol ordinance was unanimously approved by the City Council at its Dec. 6 meeting.
SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The city of Sandy Springs has made it easier for restaurants to open up shop in its jurisdiction.
The City Council has amended its alcoholic beverages ordinance to allow commercial rent payments based on the volume of alcoholic beverage sales.
The change, which was approved unanimously at the council's Dec. 6 meeting, narrows the restriction on rental agreements based on the volume of alcoholic beverage sales by applying that prohibition only to convicted felons.
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Additionally, the amendment, pushed by Councilman Gabriel Sterling, also gives the green light for property owners to invest in rental opportunities while allowing lessees to start business without significant capital, according to city documents.
"I want to thank my council colleagues for unanimously approving my change to Sandy Springs law and modernization to allow for percentage rent for restaurants," Sterling said on his Facebook page. "This allows smaller, start-up restaurants a chance be a part of our restaurant community and bring better options to our residents."
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The ordinance, a Fulton County holdover the city has had on the books since it incorporated in 2005, was written was to prevent a convicted felon who's also the owner of commercial property from leasing that property to a business owner who sells alcohol under a lease based on percentage of sales.
The restriction was designed to prohibit convicted felons from profiting off the business as rent.
However, Sterling has pointed out that the restriction made it difficult for restaurants with smaller financial resources to open in the city.
The most recent change to the alcohol ordinance follows a text amendment to the city's zoning ordinance that paves the way for micro-breweries and wineries to make their homes in Sandy Springs. That change, which was approved in June, address the differences between industrial manufacturing of alcoholic beverages and smaller scale breweries, wineries and distilleries.
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