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Commissioners deny alcohol license for 41 Food Mart over church proximity
Summary
The board denied an alcohol license application for 41 Food Mart at 2735 US Highway 41 South after objections about its proximity to a church; the motion to deny carried with one abstention recorded for Commissioner Fred "Buck" Rigdon.
The Tift County Board of Commissioners voted on Oct. 9 to deny an alcohol license application by Manguben Patel for 41 Food Mart, 2735 US Highway 41 South.
Attorney Chad VanOrman, representing the applicant, argued the distance restriction from a church should not apply because, he said, the adjacent structure "is not regularly functioning as a church." Opponents in the meeting, including Commissioner Melissa Hughes speaking as a citizen, said the area already has several stores selling beer and wine and urged the board to reject the application.
Commissioner Melissa Hughes moved to deny the license because of proximity to a church; Commissioner Donnie Hester seconded and the motion carried with a 6-0 tally recorded and Commissioner Fred "Buck" Rigdon listed as abstaining because of a business relationship with the applicant's attorney.
The board did not approve the application; no conditions were attached because the action was a denial. County Attorney Anthony Rowell noted county code allows an applicant to speak at the next regularly scheduled meeting after a tabling; in this instance the board proceeded to a vote and denied the application.
Why it matters: Denying the license maintains the current local retail alcohol landscape along that stretch of US Highway 41 South and reflects enforcement of distance rules from places of worship as applied by the board in this instance.
