[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,97,109],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",7312420,"mediaKeyId","5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4","parentId",5092533,"title","Waterproof council begins phased update of alcohol license and fee schedule","audioSeconds",117,"startMs",143000,"endMs",260000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4&start=143&end=260","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4/thumbnail_143000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/7312420/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Waterproof-council-begins-phased-update-of-alcohol-license-and-fee-schedule","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/7312420-59ba28f26a65636b400dc5c2f2922135/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=EIg8ETBsp5ek4UNz~f4cKk3hgqT0D5dSzYxJGsjw-rCjDkwlApqGY1YrnC7SooqGlt3bAOIPiaMT1DwkBi2QHbZnb60m-3NauKWpzyps9DE0s-Vn3CGUaJAcNMSfjtp9e4nIIP9t08I~IxBy7cpxfXCN4T8BtEKbtmXmvVpfV2kfCGB2I5vkncBRypM40-35X9pNpV77pTt-2YYNbcj~ehawifhqLY3TRRHAaQKMVEieHqjtyEAOzXV~nxcz-v2t1hC7MCQZzCsNbrAErQfGFBis55-WkNeO0JLEL3ucYVNn0~Ns3oSoISSTXUXnPhZo5uPhNpJxRbHKrizYP0Ieqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-27T18:30:53Z","article","Waterproof city staff began a multi-phase update of the city’s fee schedule Monday, presenting proposed changes to alcohol licensing that would add new categories, align some fees with neighboring municipalities and set limits on temporary permits.

City Administrator Gil Morris told the council the review is being done in phases and that staff surveyed nearby communities — including Monroe and Covington — to compare license types and amounts. \"We're doing also a survey at the same time with some surrounding cities in our area that are comparable,\" Morris said.

Why it matters: licensing fees affect local businesses' start-up costs and ongoing operating expenses, and changes could increase revenue for the city if adopted. The city has not updated many fees since the 1980s, Morris said, and staff wants to reduce administrative burden while modernizing categories.

Key proposals and discussion points: staff presented separate fees for wholesale, retail (beer and wine), package stores and on-premises consumption. For package stores, council members noted a common statewide cap and that many nearby municipalities set the package-store fee at the statutory maximum; a council member said, \"that is the max by state law charge for a license.\" Morris said temporary on-premises licenses would remain limited to a maximum of 10 days per calendar year under the proposed schedule, and the city added a per-day temporary-license option to improve tracking.

Council members asked for clearer revenue projections. One council member asked how current receipts compared to the proposed fees; staff said the city has collected about $7.50 in beer-and-wine license receipts so far this fiscal year and about $1,700 in package-store receipts, which prompted follow-up questions about whether those figures represent full licenses or partial-year activity. Morris said some existing fees had not been updated since 1986.

Other technical items discussed included separate brewery and catering/hotel-service fees used by neighboring cities, thresholds for classifying a business as a restaurant (food-sales percentage), and the effect of wholesale license fees being borne by wholesalers and passed to consumers.

No formal vote was taken on any fee changes. Staff said it will return with additional analysis, updated revenue estimates and draft ordinance language for council review in upcoming meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","06/26/2025 City Council Work Session 6:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a phased proposal to update Waterproof’s business fee schedule, including new alcohol licensing categories and temporary-license limits; council members asked for more data on current receipts and exemptions tied to state caps.","taxTitle","Walnut Grove, Walton County, Georgia","taxId",74351,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6184195,"Council reviews proposed changes to public-comment and town-hall procedures",133,2319000,2452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4&start=2319&end=2452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4/thumbnail_2319000.jpg","/articles/6184195/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Council-reviews-proposed-changes-to-public-comment-and-town-hall-procedures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184195-b0148cc1bc8f2beeb2ae5e67433aadfc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=BtH6W-tfVQfJu~KOYSTTOe~ISfhL6M1zskwUhRe~qBdq3TZh7fF9awnqEg6clEWIDEWfQg-n7K5jjlTBuP3JqEcezyZ6hB6oBqK5qZa~uvUDHoLNr2EvMGhcOc6GutVzwhVnzvqiW0Gdlq51J~cSJkitCQzWBeBqVfh4ODXKIcE9LEFhtc9xR2m2xIkxY2T3xmFvWUgi8XPOX~~ss6iiim-zG94Z6t57UGBykN410tOTlISlkx6gJrSwmW~D4fGoJO482ZInEKrx-fsml6Vvr6LPIfnDUfBrdp~eopKKyaEZV~mE2U-AAXm3~Yt7Oci65pM2o5tLkly6x-mAl330JA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Waterproof city staff presented proposed changes to the city’s public-comment and town-hall procedures, including a consolidated public-comment segment before business items, a standardized three-minute speaking limit and new identification requirements for speakers.

Staff said the revision would define \"public comment\" as a discrete agenda item that occurs before business items so anyone with concerns about agenda items can speak while that item will still be discussed later in the meeting. The draft would require speakers to state their name and address for the record and be acknowledged by the mayor before speaking. For town-hall style items, staff proposed a similar three-minute limit and more permissive council follow-up questions to allow limited discussion.

Why it matters: the changes are intended to give members of the public clear expectations about when they will be heard and to streamline council meetings. Council members asked whether limits should also apply to total time for an item and whether repeat speakers on the same topic should be restricted; staff said comparable jurisdictions typically place both a per-person time limit and an overall limit for a topic and that staff can provide model language.

Staff emphasized the rules would retain the public-hearing framework where presenters must submit a topic and address, and council could extend time by majority vote. No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff said it will draft specific language and return with comparative examples for council consideration.","Staff proposed amendments to the city’s public-comment and town-hall rules that would move a public-comment period earlier in meetings, standardize time limits to three minutes, require name and address for the record and allow limited clarifying questions by council.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":77,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6184200,"Council reviews Poppin Links business application; staff recommends office classification, not retail shipping hub",1902000,2035000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4&start=1902&end=2035","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4/thumbnail_1902000.jpg","/articles/6184200/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Council-reviews-Poppin-Links-business-application-staff-recommends-office-classification-not-retail-shipping-hub","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184200-c8af2b4c0b6922d4556562d6e02f768f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=NlatpG8XyXG4ekQxvYoECDya7GPqqjy0BuJemwFlQVPyiDLS5~qCK4l~Ii6VnKXUAxtlIDe35KgjZgPr~HQmX67tRM0Y2FFFXDClgOBGeKGo49xeMVmq2YYthX5S9aT0OCPms9x-mWk0GL8rDlZCcShYHAcvwv8e7SkNAAO~zioPV3mxciJiocWzkXy28Ge9XFWq8Vqh1hULvHugU~h9cg6pstolcZKy8DcECQVHX8mepQXvwp7E-tRTeOP3DzndFIrn9jr2yMONEcKfq6jaCi233Evxn0dFMbG5hTHfCLHD-zXivkTgBXj1SKgfHgyoi9zYg2VYN-hm6I3wRVreGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The council reviewed a business-license application for a business identified in discussion as Poppin Links (applicant name given as Mr. Chaffee), and staff recommended classifying the operation as an office/professional-services use rather than a non-freight shipping store.

Staff said the applicant reported the business would be roughly 60% back-office activities (administration and registered-agent services), 30% professional services (notary, business-formation consulting) and 10% shipping-related activity. Based on that breakdown, staff recommended treating the site as a business office similar to a UPS-style administrative location with limited shipping activity.

Why it matters: classification affects zoning, permitted uses and whether the council must sign off at the licensing stage. Council members asked about parking, septic/sewer approvals and whether the coffee operation would include on-site consumption. The applicant, Mr. Chaffee, confirmed there will be no on-site consumption; coffee would be sold for takeaway and e-commerce sales of packaged coffee were part of the business model.

Staff noted outstanding health and environmental approvals tied to septic work; staff also said that the presence of a temporary catering trailer had been removed and that parking should meet business-office needs once that trailer left. Council members did not vote at the meeting and asked staff to place the item on a future agenda for formal council action, if needed.","An applicant seeking to open a mixed-use business described most activity as back-office/professional services with a small e-commerce and coffee component; staff recommended classifying the operation as an office use rather than a non-freight shipping business.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_47":103,"_49":104,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6184205,"Council discusses extending moratorium on accepting certain downtown building permits",223,1548000,1771000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4&start=1548&end=1771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4/thumbnail_1548000.jpg","/articles/6184205/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Council-discusses-extending-moratorium-on-accepting-certain-downtown-building-permits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184205-283286c2e4b59e3ffaca9b73bc0519ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=lBV6K4Na-buaIMs068a6sbPBcdFeGqpCCerdYoxfQCLcNEknjNmDz5fig2seFeFsfLM12qCeVwc-xEup8e5sSMVH7ml61LpMaBYiQ35jbM-ZWxjQMQ9Mj4OV0FzV-rWxYPzE1lVjBgZgf0CXbEJKi-gjVcw~SNV57ccPpLjv4iz2rPWGndmB0nmHdyml~jnrwahpkk54KU~q2bu31NCf75cffZCNChfw6fcMVIoXOmpy4AT0RjSdcEM0rp7w0s4e~j-HgSr0Vl8nvu7mxoi4enuLgPTRgpkfz-9Gn29-H9OlC9kcKZxO8PL0NN7uwbVAbnGxdN7QzAGfT5YF52Otng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff asked the council to extend a moratorium on accepting certain building permits in the downtown overlay area while staff finishes draft ordinance changes and holds public meetings on proposed regulations.

Staff described the extension as a short-term measure to allow time for additional stakeholder meetings and drafting of ordinances. Morris said the only change to the existing resolution would be updated dates; he and staff discussed proposed new expiration dates that would give the city more time to schedule working sessions outside regular council meetings.

Why it matters: the downtown overlay covers core business corridors and affects where and how property owners can rebuild or make structural changes. Staff noted projects that were already permitted or in progress would likely be grandfathered; one council member raised the example of a recent approval for Church at the Grove and asked staff to exclude projects already approved within a recent timeframe.

Scope and timeline: staff said the proposed extension would shift the moratorium window to the council’s next review period (discussion referenced a July–December range). Staff emphasized they will coordinate public working sessions and provide draft ordinance language so the council can act with working documents rather than repeated preliminary discussions.

No final vote was recorded on the extension at the meeting; staff indicated the item will appear on a future agenda with specific dates and language for council action.","Council debated extending an existing moratorium on accepting applications for building permits in the downtown overlay while staff completes ordinance and zoning work; staff proposed new dates and discussed grandfathering projects already underway.",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":114,"_47":115,"_49":116,"_51":117,"_53":118,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":119,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":120,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6184210,"Council discusses modernizing sign permits and enforcement rules",78,906000,984000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4&start=906&end=984","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5092533-db816b5854214194debea607878d49e4/thumbnail_906000.jpg","/articles/6184210/Walnut-Grove/Walton-County/Georgia/Council-discusses-modernizing-sign-permits-and-enforcement-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184210-faf8e34bf047f0c205edf104f128c431/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=S36a98F59tESFmqS8LqNXbz65LF92iM6QPbo-Txk0S-ePUaWB1FqU0oi5cZrun0krNa4lYw8xDHw9SX3yOU8UDKgt8~Lmtr8ojjxMe5TATedZoXL6rGrcfXs0XV962xJpyQDKj6C8kDyTizwJP1OlRlRt~wmdwHvVDBONYy6FK5VXCMdZ3Q2U9I7m0B~k9NnRBzBpv0OScUcvcAvUxovILPySVrATt6BQXF6MhgVePUmMZRBB1zUrO33bjUWzyiGOJbHiA0SLQfXm8udifXxbC68GmXRYx4MqTOAEL8hPi8~y2QW9dPQQvJyhiggnGoTzrdfhdvpN72nbYZcorDXfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Waterproof city staff proposed revisions to the city’s sign-permit system, including a new fee structure, limits on temporary signs and clearer enforcement steps to reduce unpermitted signage.

City Administrator Gil Morris and staff presented a suggested fee structure that would move to a base fee plus a per-square-foot calculation for permanent signs and retain a scaled approach for temporary permits; staff said the current code contains a mix of measures and had not been harmonized with enforcement practices. \"I thought 1 is probably the best measure of a $100 plus $1 per square foot,\" a staff presenter said when describing one option.

Why it matters: council members said temporary banners and yard signs create a recurring workload for code enforcement and that penalties and warning periods need clarity. Under the proposed rules, temporary signs would be allowed 10 days per placement with a limit of six placements per year and a 30-day gap between placements — a pattern staff described as common in comparable cities.

Council discussion focused on enforcement timing and penalties. One council member said 14 days was too long for removing unpermitted signs and advocated for a shorter window to prevent prolonged unauthorized advertising. Staff clarified the typical enforcement approach: a notice of violation, a 14-day cure period for many infractions, then escalated penalties if the issue remains.

Staff also proposed charging businesses for public-notice signs that the city installs and removes; staff estimated the material cost at roughly $16–$18 per sign plus public works labor for installation. No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff will return with more precise language and examples of neighboring-city approaches.","Staff proposed updated sign-permit fees, temporary-sign limits and stronger enforcement language to reduce unpermitted signs; council members debated permit duration and penalty timing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Waterproof council begins phased update of alcohol license and fee schedule

Council reviews proposed changes to public-comment and town-hall procedures

Council reviews Poppin Links business application; staff recommends office classification, not retail shipping hub

Council discusses extending moratorium on accepting certain downtown building permits

Council discusses modernizing sign permits and enforcement rules