Sunday, September 24, 2023–4:25 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Rome City Commissioners will be asked to approve and ratify a water settlement agreement with 3M when they meet Monday night.
3M is one of the companies sued by the city to recoup the cost of treating PFAS chemicals in the Oostanaula River.
Also on the agenda is a rezoning request for the Days Inn property on Turner McCall Boulevard.
The applicant is seeking to rezone, and merge the two existing parcels into one, then subdivide more evenly to allow for a second hotel to be constructed on one of the newly created parcels. This would also require a partial demolition of the existing Days Inn.
Commissioners will also consider the Joint Occupancy Fire/Emergency Operations Center/911 Agreement.
Another agenda item for Monday’s City Commission meeting is the first reading of an assembly permit ordinance.
The ordinance does not require a permit for gatherings of 25 or less on public property with some exceptions.
“If it is less than 25, then there are four cases where you would need a permit for being on public property,” said Assistant City Attorney Frank Beacham. “Sort of the pinch point kind of places. On our streets, on our sidewalks, where you are blocking ingress or egress to public facilities, and on our trails. For all of these, we looked at Georgia law, and federal law, and made sure that our ordinance complies with that.”
Monday is the first reading only. The second reading, a public hearing and vote will come during the commission’s first meeting in October.
Monday’s City Commission meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Rome City Hall.
During the pre-meeting caucus, which starts at 5 p.m. there will be a presentation from the Office of Information Technology regarding the City of Rome’s use of artificial intelligence.
Peaches on Broad Street could get its liquor pouring license back, with a food-to-drink ratio variance if the Rome City Commission goes along with a recommendation from the Alcohol Control Commission on Monday.
In May, the city commission terminated the establishment’s liquor license on grounds that it was not meeting the 50-50 ratio. The action stipulated that the license could be reapplied for in three months. The ACC is asking the city commission to grant Peaches a new liquor license where the 50-50 ratio could be met using food and concert ticket sales.
“If I were able to take my ticket sales and combine them with my food to make my ratio because I have an entertainment license, it would work out,” said Peaches owner Stephanie Shaw. “It would calm the differences when you need security too.”
The commission is also slated to hear from Brandon Pledger with Alibi Prohibition Lounge requesting an amendment to his variance, which allows firearms sales to count toward the city’s 50-50 food-to-drink requirement. The request now before the City Commission is to permanently remove the 11:00 p.m. restriction and allow Alibi Prohibition Lounge to be open until the normal closing requirement of 2:00 a.m.
