Arlington sets 5,000‑sq‑ft minimum for new liquor stores, awards compliance certificate to Pops Liquor and Wine

The Arlington Board of Mayor and Aldermen on May 4 adopted ordinance 2026‑04 to revise the town zoning code for liquor stores and approved a certificate of compliance for a retail package store drawn from a public lottery.

Planner Mike Crater told the board the ordinance amends Chapter 4, Table 4.8 and Section 4.9 to align zoning with recent changes to beer and liquor licensing. "The proposed special conditions are as follows," he said, listing requirements that include compatibility with surrounding uses, state separation rules, ground‑floor location with a primary entrance to a public street, single‑tenant occupancy, loading areas for deliveries, exterior lighting and signage controls, and a minimum building size requirement.

The planning commission had recommended increasing a 2,500‑square‑foot minimum to 4,000 and suggested staff consider a retail‑to‑storage ratio. Council debate centered on building sizes and safety concerns about boxed inventory in aisles; several members said larger footprints reduce safety and display problems. After a failed roll‑call vote on a 4,000‑sq‑ft amendment, the board adopted an amendment setting the minimum at 5,000 square feet; the amendment passed on a unanimous roll call.

Council and staff clarified the post‑adoption process. Town attorney Mr. Patterson said the town issues a certificate of compliance verifying local zoning conformance; that certificate becomes part of an applicant's package to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a state license. The ordinance sets a timeline (including a 180‑day benchmark) and allows the board to rescind approvals if applicants do not progress within the prescribed period.

After the ordinance adoption, the board conducted a staff‑run lottery of three qualifying applicants for the available certificate of compliance. Staff described the lottery procedure and stated all three applications had passed required zoning and background checks. The names drawn, in order, were Pops Liquor and Wine (Toby Gordon), Airline Wine and Spirits (owner Hannah), and Airline Cork and Barrel (Jessica Cochran and Trent Won). The board amended resolution 2026‑12 to reflect the lottery outcome and unanimously approved the certificate for the first‑drawn applicant, subject to state licensing and any contract or site conditions.

What happens next: the certificate of compliance authorizes the applicant to pursue state licensing and is conditioned on site plan and conditional‑use approvals: the project will return to the Planning Commission for a recommendation, then to the Board of Zoning Appeals for the conditional‑use permit; if those steps are successful and the state issues a license within the ordinance timelines, the applicant may proceed. If not, the town may move to the next applicant on the reserve list or otherwise act per the ordinance.