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Arlington delays final vote on alcohol ordinance after board seeks more time
Summary
The board amended residency and licensing preference language in Ordinance 2024-12 (alcoholic beverages) but then voted to table the item indefinitely after members said they needed more time to review the changes.
The Arlington Board of Mayor and Aldermen amended and then tabled Ordinance 2024-12, which would revise Title 8 (Alcoholic Beverages) of the municipal code, after some members said they needed more time to review changes.
Town Attorney Gerald Lawson told the board the ordinance had its first reading in October 2024 and was revisited at an August 2025 board retreat. The board approved amendments to sections 8-104 (application/residency language) and 8-111 (preferences for license applicants) clarifying residency and preference language.
Alderman Jeremy Biggs said he felt the ordinance was being rushed and asked to delay final action so he could review the text and consult with staff. "I would feel more comfortable if we waited until December to vote," Biggs said. On a motion by Alderman Harry McKee to table the item indefinitely, and a second from Alderman Biggs, the board tabled the ordinance.
What the amendments say: the board revised the residency requirements in section 8-104 and added preference language for wholesale licenses in section 8-111. Board discussion noted the changes would constrain the number of liquor retail licenses to a maximum of two in town, per the board’s stated intent.
Next steps: because the item is tabled indefinitely, no publication date or effective date was set; the board discussed publication requirements for an approved ordinance but took no final action.
