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Commission approves Simple Spirits change-of-location after staff error; state will review distance rules
Summary
The Albany City Commission voted to approve a conditional move of Simple Spirits Inc.'s liquor license to 110 Cordele Road after staff mistakenly processed the application as a transfer. Commissioners approved the local portion of the application but said the state will decide whether distance rules allow both stores to operate so close together.
The Albany City Commission on Monday approved a conditional change of location for Simple Spirits Inc., allowing the package store to relocate its city alcohol license from 2424 Sylvester Road to 110 Cordele Road, Unit 1.
The vote followed a lengthy public discussion in which the applicant and nearby property owners described conflicting accounts of how the application was handled. Jim Edge, an attorney with Moore, Clark, Newell & Rogers, said his client, owner Joe Bien, had followed city staff instructions, paid required fees and relied on a city-issued license before buying and renovating the new property. "He invested a lot of money based on the idea that he was going to be able to operate it as a liquor store," Edge said.
Why it matters: The relocation prompted objections from the…
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