Wednesday, January 22, 2025–9:19 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Two alcohol ordinance amendments are headed back to the Rome City Commission for reconsideration.
One would eliminate variances from Rome’s 50-50 food-to-drink ratio.
Currently, any establishment that sells distilled spirits must generate at least half of its revenue from the sale of food, unless a variance is granted, permitting the business to count the sales of other items.
The original ordinance recommended for approval by the ACC in November would have eliminated future variances, but the three current variances could continue, however, if the business is sold or if a new licensee is requested for that business, then the variance would cease to exist.
The Rome City Commission took no action on the recommendation late last year, sending it back to the ACC.
The new version of the amendment approved by the ACC during their Tuesday meeting, allows the transfer of the license with the accompanying variance to a new owner or licensee would be permitted as would a move of the establishment to another location approved by the Alcohol Control Commission.
“However, they cannot change variances,” said Rome City Clerk Joe Smith.
The amendment now goes to the city commission for a first reading on January 27 and a vote on February 10.
Another ordinance amendment deals with allowing of food truck sales to count toward the ratio.
Under the latest draft, an establishment may utilize an affiliation with a mobile food vehicle that is parked on the premises to meet the 50-percent ratio, but the mobile-food-vehicle sales must flow through the establishment’s point-of-sale system and supplement an existing brick-and-mortar kitchen that regularly serves meals on the premises.
Only one establishment is currently using food truck sales and that is The Foundry at the corner of Fifth Avenue and West Third Street. However, they are in the process of building a kitchen.
ACC approves some licenses, but delays action on others
In other action, the ACC approved beer package licenses for Sabor Latino at 1410 North Broad Street and a new beer and wine package license for Redmond Groceries at 2000 Redmond Circle.
No action was taken on an extension of the beer, wine, and liquor package license for Mega Beverage Rome, which is the former Fazoli’s site on Hicks Drive. The request was originally approved in September of 2023, but the store has yet to open.
“It appears as though that business will not be ready to open until March,” Smith said. “We anticipate that we will see the applicant at the February meeting.”
The ACC also delayed action on beer package license requests for Lucky’s Family Food Mart, across from Anna K. Davie on East Main Street, and Lucky’s One Stop Shop at 610 Calhoun Avenue. The applicant was not in attendance at the meeting.
A proposed alcohol ordinance amendment that would allow for consumption at the library amphitheater was taken off the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
“The public facilities where alcohol consumption is currently allowed are in the city,” Smith said. “Since the library is owned by the county before we took any action, we wanted to see where the library board and the county stood on the issue.”
