Toccoa To Vote on Sunday On-Site Alcohol Sales for Restaurants, Etc.

Voters who live in the city of Toccoa will head to the polls this November to determine whether Toccoa will allow Sunday alcohol sales for on-site consumption.

Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners voted unanimously to place the question before voters.

The recommendation came from both the city’s Alcohol Beverage Control board and the city’s Downtown Development Authority.

DDA Representative Clay Fisher said that interest is there from a number of businesses.

“It comes from consultation with some of the existing businesses that are here in town,” said Fisher. “Also, we see this as a tool to recruit as we move forward as the surrounding counties implement this into their counties.”

According to Toccoa ABC Board Chair Derek Demmler, about 95 percent of applicants renewing licenses last year asked the board about Sunday sales.

Toccoa City Attorney John Dickerson said the question before Toccoa voters this November will be very specific.

“Only whether or not to authorize Sunday sales for consumption on the premises,” said Carter. “There will not be anything on the ballot for retail package sales on Sunday.”

Toccoa Mayor Terry Carter said he thinks it is important that the citizens of Toccoa have the chance to cast a ballot on this.

“There are several cities near us, Gainesville, Cornelia, Lavonia, Dillard, that will be making the same consideration on November 3rd,” said Carter. “I think it is important for Toccoa to have an opportunity to decide what we would like to do.”

City officials noted that Sunday sales for consumption on premises at restaurants also carry different requirements for the restaurant that would also be enacted.

Meanwhile, that was not the only alcohol-related question put before the city commission last night.

The ABC board brought two other recommendations before the commission.

On the first ordinance request, Dickerson said that has to do with the distance a restaurant or private club that sells alcohol must be from a building such as a church or school.

“The state has a specific statute that says ‘we do not have any distance requirements for consumption on the premises for restaurants, and golf courses, and private clubs’,” said Dickerson. “We adopted that and will not impose any distance requirements for restaurants, private clubs, and golf courses.”

According to Dickerson, the city previously had a requirement that alcohol could not be sold for consumption within a certain distance of churches or schools.

As for the other ordinance change, Dickerson said it is a manufacturing ordinance for in the city limits.

“We said if you want to manufacture (through a distillery) and meet the Department of Agriculture and Department of Revenue standards, that’s okay,” said Dickerson.

Mayor Carter said these ordinance changes will bring the city in line with the state.

City commissioners approved both of those ordinance changes unanimously.

Also, the commission waived a second reading of both those ordinances, so those will take effect immediately.

As for the Sunday sales question, it will come to a vote on November 3rd