Knoxville beer board extends applications and approves pending documentation for businesses with missing permits and approvals

The Knoxville Beer Board on Tuesday handled several business applications that remain incomplete and granted extensions or approvals pending final documentation for multiple applicants.

Board staff and members said applications were commonly missing items such as certificate-of-occupancy, sales-tax registration, Department of Agriculture approval, background checks or updated CAST/server training records. For example, Fourth Creek Brewing was postponed to the June meeting after staff said the applicant did not appear; the board instructed Mister Byrd to contact the applicant and asked them to attend the next meeting. "Let's extend to the next beer board meeting," a member said when discussing Fourth Creek Brewing.

Dojo Series (Cochran, Frasier, Combs, McLean) was approved pending final documentation after staff reported a missing background and fingerprints for manager Robert McClain and other outstanding certificates. The board noted the long-standing policy that a full background check is required for approval and allowed the applicant to drop the manager from the application and add that person later after completing required checks.

Fast Hand LLC on Sutherland Avenue received a 90-day extension after the applicant, Kevin Hibbs, described ongoing construction and remaining certificate-of-occupancy work. Board members emphasized updated fingerprinting and CAST training; the board voted to extend the application 90 days and requested applicant follow up with Officer Presley for assistance arranging out-of-state fingerprinting if necessary.

Other routine permit items were approved pending final documentation, with staff listing specific missing items at the meeting: Ian's Market (sales tax registration, Department of Agriculture approval and surrender of an existing permit), Shell Mart (Department of Agriculture approval and certificate of occupancy), Stir Fry Cafe (sales tax registration and surrender of an existing permit), and Knoxville Botanical Gardens (health-department approval). In many cases Mister Byrd told applicants the file was complete or noted the specific missing item, and the board approved motions "pending final documentation."

For some addendum items, applicants were not present and the board postponed them to the June meeting: Fourth Creek Brewing's second application and Chuck E. Cheese were both continued to the June meeting after staff said contact attempts had not produced the missing documents. The board also extended Mother Bar and approved an extension to an August meeting date for its pending paperwork when the applicant said architectural plans had been submitted and construction was expected to start soon.

Board members repeatedly reminded applicants that approval "pending final documentation" does not replace required building, health or tax approvals and urged applicants to work with Mister Byrd and Officer Presley after the meeting to complete outstanding items.