Savannah council approves several alcohol licenses and special-use permits, allows one Sunday sale for St. Patrick’s weekend

The Savannah City Council on Feb. 13, 2025 approved three alcohol licenses for local businesses, granted two special-use permits to allow alcohol sales tied to restaurants, and authorized one Sunday of on-premises alcohol sales for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

The votes affect convenience and restaurant alcohol sales in multiple districts and add a one-time Sunday sales allowance for the holiday weekend. Council members said the items are part of normal business licensing and zoning processes; neighbors testified against at least one zoning request citing traffic and proximity to a church and daycare.

The approvals included a Class E (beer and wine by the package) license for Wheaton Market at 1321 Wheaton Street; a Class C (beer and wine by the drink) license for L & L Hawaiian Barbecue at 318 Mall Boulevard; and a Class A wine caterer license for Locally Made Savannah (an ice cream shop) at 223 West Broughton Street. Revenue senior director Judy Jones confirmed the Locally Made Savannah item added a catering authorization to an existing license.

The council also heard two zoning petitions tied to alcohol sales. The first, a special-use permit in the TC-1 (Traditional Commercial 1) zoning district to allow accessory beer and wine sales at a restaurant at 1104 E. 36th/30th Street (described by staff as an adaptive reuse and drive-through site), drew opposition from nearby property owner Georgia Benton and a representative of Second Island Baptist Church, who cited existing nearby alcohol outlets, potential loitering and traffic/turning concerns, and the parcel’s proximity to a church and a daycare. Planning staff told council the site met zoning requirements and recommended approval with the condition that the special-use permit be nontransferable. Council approved the permit 8–1.

The second zoning item expanded an existing permit for Strange Bird Savannah (Savannah Cauldron Design) on Barnard Street to include distilled spirits in addition to beer and wine. The petitioner’s representative, David Mason, said the restaurant suffered a fire, is mitigating damage and expects to rebuild, and asked council to proceed; staff said the owner had asked to move forward. Planning commission staff noted prior conditions and recommended approval with a nontransferability condition. Council approved the distilled-spirits request.

Council also authorized a one-time approval allowing on-premises alcohol sales on a Sunday tied to St. Patrick’s Day events; the motion passed 8–1 with Alderman Dietrich Leggett recorded as the lone vote against the Sunday sales. Leggett said he would not support Sunday sales until the city establishes clearer enforcement mechanisms and ABC-unit enforcement for busy event days, citing public concerns about enforcement and safety during large events.

No council member proposed denying the retail alcohol licenses (items 5–7) during the public hearing; each passed on voice votes after motions were made by council members in support. The special-use permits will still require applicants to obtain the separate alcohol licenses in the usual licensing process before they may sell alcoholic beverages on site.

The council’s approval of the special-use permits included the planning commission’s recommended condition that the entitlements be nontransferable; staff explained that requirement means the zoning entitlement would not remain with the property if ownership changes and a new owner would need to seek a new special-use permit and license.

Council closed the public hearings on the zoning petitions after public comment and moved the items to a vote. The approvals do not remove later public-review steps for alcohol licensing, and neighbors were urged by council members to meet with applicants before a liquor-license application is filed.

Votes at a glance: - Item 5 — Class E (beer/wine by package) license for Wheaton Market (1321 Wheaton St.): approved (motion moved by Alderman Dietrich Leggett; voice vote in favor). - Item 6 — Class C (beer/wine by drink) license for L & L Hawaiian Barbecue (318 Mall Blvd.): approved (motion moved by Alderman Nick Palumbo; voice vote in favor). - Item 7 — Class A wine caterer license for Locally Made Savannah (223 W. Broughton St.): approved (motion moved by Alderman Dietrich Leggett; voice vote in favor). - Item 9 — Special-use permit (TC-1) for accessory beer and wine sales at 1104 E. 36th/30th St. (petitioner Gary Gordon): approved 8–1 (condition: permit nontransferable). - Item 10 — Special-use permit amendment to allow distilled spirits for Strange Bird Savannah/Stringsburg (Barnard St.): approved (condition: permit nontransferable). - Item 18 — One Sunday on-premises alcohol sales (St. Patrick’s Day weekend): approved 8–1 (Alderman Dietrich Leggett voted no; expressed enforcement concerns).

Council members and staff repeatedly reminded residents that approval of a special-use permit is a zoning entitlement; a separate alcohol-license application and a separate public-review process remain required before any on-site alcohol sales begin.

Ending: Council members encouraged residents and business owners with concerns to meet with applicants before liquor-license applications reach the council, and staff noted the approvals included the planning commission’s nontransferability condition to help preserve community input on future ownership changes.