First Reading of Ordinances for Regulations on Package Stores Approved
Community May 3, 2022
DAHLONEGA Ga.- The first reading for ordinances 2022-02, 05, 06, and 07 ordinances that outlined regulations on package stores was approved at the City Council meeting on May 2.
The council also approved the amendment to the budget for additional tourism funds in order to renovate the visitor center’s bathrooms. They additionally approved the 2022 Comprehensive Plan.
The first reading of the ordinances gave the council a chance to view how the ordinances are set up and make any changes that they needed to. For ordinance 2022-02 the council adjusted the minimal inventory requirement to $500,000.
“Very few times do we have an opportunity to pass an ordinance where we foster and encourage economic development, and I think the increase the minimal inventory levels will foster or encourage some type of development here in our city,” explained councilmember Roman Gaddis
All other ordinances were approved as written. The remainder of the ordinances dealt with where in the city the package stores would be able to be set up. To view the ordinances visit https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/dahlonega-pubu/MEET-Packet-13fa0930e847417fb90b0f82e93af92d.pdf. They begin on page 22.
The council will also be hosting a special call meeting on Tuesday, May 10 at 1:30 p.m. to further discuss the distilled spirits package stores. There will be a second reading of the ordinances before they are formerly passed into law.
The next item that was approved was the amendment to the budget for additional funds to go to the tourism department. Finance Director Allison Martin explained the plan in the work session on Apr. 18. To review what was discussed visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2022/04/19/council-reviews-master-sidewalk-plan/.
This approval gives the tourism an additional $54,000 for the renovations of the visitor center bathrooms. The county is taking point on planning for the project.
“I have lived here for 27 years and in 27 years looking back those are the worst bathrooms. I’m so excited that we are finally coming around to do this,” exclaimed councilmember Johnny Ariemma.
The council approved the 2022 comprehensive plan that Planning Administrator Jameson Kinely presented to them at their work session. This is a plan done by the city and county and it is completed every five years. The county has already approved its version of the plan.
“We’ve had lots of community input into the comprehensive plan and just as a reminder to everyone this serves as a very eye level plan, we may read it and think well there’s not a lot of detail in there and that’s kind of deliberate so that as each component of that plan comes up they develop a more extensive plan,” commented Mayor JoAnne Taylor.
Mayor JoAnne Taylor while reading the proclamation.
An item that was not on the agenda was a proclamation to make the week of May 1 through May 7 Professional Municipal Clerk week was also read at the meeting. The city clerks that were recognized with this proclamation were City Clerk Mary Csukas and Assistant City Clerk Danna Foster.
Council Begins Discussions on Distilled Spirits Package Store Memorandums
Business, Community February 22, 2022
DAHLONEGA, Ga.- The Dahlonega City Council began discussing what an ordinance for the distilled spirits package store would need to encompass to be out on the books.
City Clerk Mary Csukas gave the council information on the possible name change for the Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program. Finance Director Allison Martin presented the council with the information on the amendment of the personnel management system policies.
On July 20, 2021, the council voted to put a referendum for a distilled spirits package store on the Nov. ballot. For more information about that meeting visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2021/07/20/council-approves-resolution-to-place-package-sales-on-ballot/. 80% of the voters of Dahlonega approved the referendum during the election so now it falls to the council and the city attorney to draft an ordinance for the stores to become reality.
The council began discussing what the ordinance would look like at the work session. The items they discussed were standard of minimum requirements for the issuing of license, building size and inventory with square footage limitations, zoning districts that would allow the business, proximity to vulnerable institutions and other package stores, hours of operation, application fees, and the possibility of using a bidding option for license selection.
There are other items in the memorandum that would go into an ordinance that is set down by the state. To view the full memorandum visit https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/dahlonega-pubu/MEET-Packet-7750f1aee4bc4148a1ec3a45685b63ec.pdf.
The council had a long discussion about the issues involved with the memorandum and gave City Attorney Doug Parks a place to start for drafting the ordinance. However, this will be a long process and there was agreement that there should be two readings of the draft before it is voted on by the council.
“Thank you all for bearing with us through this kind of difficult and detailed discussion, I appreciate everyone’s candor their input I think it’s helpful and hopefully they are a little bit closer to where they need to be,” commented Mayor JoAnne Taylor.
Csukas provided the council with an update on the possible name change for the DDA and Main Street Program to just Downtown Dahlonega. The change comes in order to make identifying the two functions simpler such as when the Community Development umbrella was set up.
“Only concern I have is as DDA one of our questions over the last several years is that they just seem to focus on downtown. Now DDA is supposed to be responsible for Morrison Moore Parkway and other areas in the city and this bothers me that this is now obviously downtown Dahlonega and I want to make sure that the understanding of the responsibility relative to the Main street/DDA now called Downtown Dahlonega,” stated Councilmember Ron Larson.
Lastly, Martin brought to the council the changes that have been made to the personnel management system policies. There are numerous changes throughout the document which can be viewed using the above link.
A notable change is the allowance for work boots has been raised from $100 to $150 for employees that are required to wear them. This document will be voted on at the Mar. 7 regular meeting at 6:00 p.m.