Newman City amends alcohol ordinance to allow distilled spirits and wine manufacture; zoning referral to planning commission approved

The Newman City Council on Feb. 25 adopted amendments to Chapter 3 of the city's alcohol ordinance to expand permitted manufacturing beyond malt beverages to include distilled spirits and wine. The council also voted to refer recommended zoning text amendments to the planning commission to decide where such manufacturers could locate within city zoning districts.

City staff said the change would allow establishments now licensed to manufacture malt beverages to seek additional state licenses to produce distilled spirits or wine on site, subject to state and federal licensing requirements. "They would obtain a license to manufacture ... They could apply for an additional license to be a manufacturer of distilled spirits," a staff member explained, using a local operator as an example.

Staff presented the amendment as an economic development opportunity and cited examples in other Georgia cities. The staff presentation noted that permitting manufacture of distilled spirits and wine would be separate from zoning decisions about where such facilities may operate; the ordinance change adjusts alcohol licensing language while a separate zoning text amendment would address location, buffers, and special-use considerations.

Council members voted to adopt the ordinance amendment by voice vote and separately approved referring the recommended zoning text amendments to the planning commission for review, consistent with the two-step process staff described. The transcript did not record any votes against the measures and did not supply details about state licensing timelines, fee changes, or specific conditions that the planning commission might recommend.