Dalton adopts event-facility license, lowers fee and updates fire code

Dalton — Dalton’s mayor and council on June 22 adopted two related code changes: an amendment to Chapter 6 (alcoholic beverages) creating an event-facility licensing framework and a separate update to Chapter 54 (fire prevention and protection) to clarify occupancies and align local code with state and fire-marshal standards.

The city attorney explained that the ordinance creating the event-facility license reduces the license fee (described at the meeting as lowered from $2,000 to $500) and expands a grandfathering provision so establishments currently operating as event facilities despite not meeting distance, parking or building-code requirements can be grandfathered under the new rules. "The fee for the license has been reduced from $2,000 to $500," the city attorney said when outlining revisions made since first reading.

Fire Chief Daniel described the fire-code update as clarifying occupancies, strengthening connections between local rules and state/fire-marshal standards, and ensuring consistent application across departments. Chief Daniel said staff reviewed departments' existing translation of requirements into practice and were available to answer questions.

Council members thanked staff and the municipal-code firm for the revisions. Both ordinances passed on second reading by voice vote.

The ordinances create a local licensing pathway for event facilities and attempt to resolve conflicts between older, nonconforming operations and current zoning, parking and safety requirements. The fire-code update is intended to work alongside the alcohol ordinance to ensure event facilities meet consistent fire-protection expectations.