Franklin beer board keeps final certificate-of-occupancy practice after months-long TCO review

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — The City of Franklin Beer Board on June 10 discussed whether beer permits should be allowed when a business has only a temporary certificate of occupancy, but members ultimately agreed not to ask the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to change the city code.

Blake, a staff member who presented the legal review, said the city’s “general recommendation is that the city should keep the code as it is.” He told the board the municipal code (cited in the presentation as section 8 2 10 12) has been interpreted to require final building approval before issuing an on‑premises beer permit and that a final certificate requires completed building, zoning and life‑safety signoffs.

The question arose after staff encountered at least one case in which a business was otherwise ready to open but remained without a final CO because of a non‑life‑safety zoning…