City Attorney Lays Out Algood’s Control Over Liquor

Algood got an explanation on the power it will have to regulate liquor by the drink at Monday night’s work session.

City Attorney Danny Rader explained that liquor is regulated by the Tennessee Alcholic Beverage Commission. Algood would have control over zoning and consumption at special events.

Rader said it is in the city’s best interest to make any changes during the first writing of the future ordinance.

“It’s one of those things that you don’t want to open up and tinker with, that nobody likes it when you’re changing the alcohol laws, people have a lot of really strong feelings about this kind of stuff,” Rader said. “Whatever side anybody’s on, people feel strongly about it, so whatever changes you may want to make, I say make them all at the same time you only want to do this once.”

Rader said the ordinance would need to repeal the old prohibition laws on liquor and should be ready to present by the December city council meeting. Rader said the ordinance’s zoning regulations have to apply to all restaurants.

“You’ve got a zoning code now, restaurants are all over the city, if any of those existing restaurants should apply for a liquor licenses, even if you zoned a bit more restrictively, those restaurants may be grandfathered in,” Rader said. “You can’t prevent them from selling liquor but you could prevent new restaurants from going into those locations. So, that would be the principle consideration that you’d have if you wanted to try and restrict the location of restaurants but you’re restricting all restaurants and bars, you’re not just restricting liquor sales.”

Algood City Administrator Keith Morrison said that the city had received prior requests about allowing alcohol at special events. Rader said he worked with Cookeville on setting its guidelines.

“Cookeville’s got a really restrictive policy and you can only have special events that have alcohol if the city is itself, a co-sponsor of the event,” Rader said. “When they have events in the park and Dogwood Park in Cookeville, the city generally has to sponsor that with the entity, they also have to be a 501(c) non-profit.”

Rader said the city could apply to change the hours that liquor is sold, but recommended keeping the state’s hours for sale. Rader said right now Algood has the ability to issue a beer license, but a state liquor license will remove that power from Algood.