City Commission Approves Alcohol Control Ordinance Amendment

At the October 28 meeting of the Toccoa City Commission, Commissioners unanimously approved amendments to Toccoa’s Alcohol Beverage Ordinance, adding a new section to regulate Brew Pubs, Breweries, Distilleries, Micro-Breweries and Micro-Distilleries. Commissioners held the required public hearing on the ordinance amendment at the October 14 Commission meeting. It was noted that a small change had been made in the amendment following the last meeting, and the adopted amendment limits breweries to the production of 6,000 barrels of malt beverage as opposed to the 3,000 barrels included in the original amendment. The change was made to match the state code. 

During Monday’s meeting, Commissioner Even Hellenga, who sits on the Toccoa Stephens County Human Shelter board of directors, gave a monthly update on shelter activities and statistics. In the month of September, the shelter completed five transports of animals to other facilities, applied for six grants and conducted 83 animal intakes. There were 45 adoptions, nine animals were returned to their owner, 24 were transferred to other facilities, and five were euthanized, for a 94 percent live release rate for the month. 

Hellenga also spoke of the positive feedback he had received regarding the Toccoa Harvest Festival, held this past weekend. 

Commissioner Terry Carter also commented on the Harvest Festival, expressing appreciation to the Main Street staff, as well as thanking retired Toccoa Special Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby, who volunteered at this year’s festival. 

Carter also spoke about a zoning request from Frazier Investments LLC for property located at 81 Center Plaza Drive – known locally as the former Save A Lot shopping center that had been considered at the Oct. 14 meeting. The request was to rezone the property from B-1, Neighborhood Shopping District – the least intensive commercial zone in Toccoa’s zoning ordinance, to B-IV, Wholesale Business District – the most intensive commercial zone in the ordinance. Commissioners had denied the request, but had encouraged the applicant to reapply for rezoning to a BII designation. Carter said Frazier Investments LLC would be submitting an application for the BII rezoning, and commissioners voted to amend the minutes of the Oct. 14 meeting to include the commission’s recommendation to apply for the BII zoning, thus allowing the 60-day waiting period between rezoning requests to be waived. 

Commissioners Ron Matheson and Michelle Jamieson both spoke during commissioner reports, praising the success of this year’s harvest festival, and Mayor Gail Fry spoke of efforts by local first responders during the festival in locating a missing elderly man. 

During Reports, City Manager shared a report from Stephens County Election Supervisor Bruce Carlisle stating that a record number of voters have cast their ballot so far in the General Election.

Commissioners also unanimously approved a bid of $108,000 for Alum Sludge Removal for the wastewater treatment department. Alum sludge is a byproduct of the chemical conditioning of raw water at a water treatment plant that removes suspended solid materials. Removal of the sludge on a periodic basis is a necessary process. 

Also at Monday’s meeting, Commissioners approved an amended meeting schedule for November and December to accommodate holiday schedules. The Toccoa City Commission typically meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month. In November, the commission will now meet on the second Monday, Nov. 12, and the third Monday, Nov. 19. In December, the Commission will meet on the second Monday, Dec. 9, and the third Monday, Dec. 16. The meetings will held at 5 p.m. at Toccoa City Hall. 

For more information, contact Toccoa City Clerk Beth Rider at  (706) 886-8451.