Reverend asks Upson County commissioners to revisit liquor-licensing ordinance after Sunnyside grocery changes

Reverend Todd Turner urged the Upson County Board of Commissioners to revisit the county's liquor-licensing ordinance, saying the current wording could allow a business on Sunnyside Road to obtain a license despite its proximity to a church and potentially a school.

Turner, who spoke during the public-comment portion of the board's regular meeting on March 11, said the Sunnyside grocery property "is off of 74 now" and that a change to entrances on the property means the store's footprint and access no longer match the way the ordinance describes allowable distances. "I can stand on the corner of the church property, flat footed, and hit the door of the building with a softball," Turner said, describing the parcels as adjacent.

The Reverend asked commissioners to "please revisit it, and don't let this happen," referring to the possibility that, under the ordinance's present wording, an applicant could qualify for a license immediately across from a church or school. The speaker did not identify a specific applicant or pending application; no formal request or motion to change the ordinance was made at the meeting.

County commissioners acknowledged the comment and closed public comment; the board did not schedule any immediate action on the licensing question during the session. The transcript does not include additional details on the ordinance's specific language, distances, or whether a school sits across from the Sunnyside property.

The matter remains a public request for review rather than a board directive. If commissioners choose to pursue amendments, any formal proposal, ordinance text, public hearings or staff memos would be recorded at a future meeting.