Glynn County amends alcohol ordinance for mixed‑use developments; issues provisional package‑store license

Glynn County commissioners on April 17 approved a change to the county alcohol ordinance that allows a limited exception to the 200‑yard separation between package stores and residentially zoned areas inside certain mixed‑use planned development (PD) districts, and issued a provisional 2025 package‑store license to BW Partnerships LLC (DBA Liquor Lounge) at 11 Oyster Bay, Brunswick.

The amendment — to section 2.3 0.16 b of the Glynn County Code of Ordinances as presented to the board — creates a narrow, PD‑text‑driven exception so that, where a PD explicitly allows both commercial and residential uses including package stores, the county can waive the additional local 200‑yard buffer between package stores and residential zones while preserving required buffers from schools and churches.

Kristy Kinstell, licensing and compliance director, told commissioners the proposed change does not alter the existing 600‑foot buffers that apply to churches and schools; those remain in force. A county attorney confirmed the church/school buffer requirements are unchanged and that the amendment targets only the county’s extra 200‑yard layer between package stores and residentially zoned areas when the PD already contemplates mixed uses.

During the same meeting the board held a public hearing and voted to issue a provisional 2025 alcoholic beverage license for BW Partnerships LLC doing business as Liquor Lounge. Chief Edner (background investigator) reported that the background check of the applicant, Jen Park, showed no disqualifying information. Attorney Brian Corey, speaking for the property owners and as closing attorney for the applicant, said the closing and financing are conditioned on the grant of the provisional license and that engineering plans and lender clearances are in place.

Commissioners moved and seconded both the ordinance amendment and the provisional license. Each motion passed on voice vote with no roll‑call tally provided in the transcript.

Why it matters: the ordinance change gives developers and property owners greater flexibility inside mixed‑use PDs by allowing package stores closer to residences when the PD text already contemplates mixed residential/commercial uses. The provisional license allows a pending business transaction to proceed while final permitting and development steps continue.

Quotes and context: "This amendment would not change the existing buffer requirements, which is still gonna be 600 feet from churches and schools," the county attorney said during the discussion. Brian Corey, attorney for the property owner and closing counsel for the applicant, said the applicant "is waiting on this provisional license" and that closing and bank financing are conditioned on its issuance.

Ending: The Liquor Lounge license was approved and the board approved the ordinance amendment as proposed. Additional parcel‑level permitting and the standard county development review steps remain for any construction or site work.