Jones County commissioners review draft to allow four distilled‑spirits package licenses

JONES COUNTY, Ga. — The Jones County Board of Commissioners on May 20 examined a draft ordinance that would authorize up to four licenses for the package sales of distilled spirits, set a $5,000 initial application fee and $5,000 renewal fee, and establish rules on zoning, operating hours and signage.

The ordinance draft discussed by staff and commissioners would limit the county to four total package‑sales licenses, allow up to two of those licenses to be issued to applicants before construction provided the facility becomes fully operational within 12 months, and reserve the remaining two for existing structures. Jason, a county staff member who presented the draft, said, “The way this ordinance is drafted, and the the way we've traditionally done it, we don't have the fee specified in the ordinance, but we have a fee schedule.”

Why it matters: the proposal would be the county's first formal framework for standalone distilled‑spirits package sales. Commissioners said the rules would shape where stores could locate in the county, how quickly a proposed project must open, follow‑up enforcement, and how revenue from sales tax might be tracked.

Most important points

- Fees and limits: The draft sets a $5,000 fee for both initial licenses and annual renewals, and caps countywide package‑sales…