County discusses details approving Alcohol at Golf Course
News December 4, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Attempting to set details down as they move through the three month process, the county discussed details and plans for the first reader of their change to the alcohol ordinance allowing for the sale of beer and wine at the county’s golf course.
To the best of his knowledge, Golf Course Manager Mike Brumby has previously said that Gilmer was the only one he knew that still doesn’t sell drinks in the lodge.
Whitepath Golf Course
But that is set to change in the coming months as the commissioners spoke about signage, management, and allowances during a special called meeting before the December First Reading.
The Golf Course will likely have something inside the shop showing prices for drinks, but Chairman Charlie Paris said he did not want any advertisements of the alcohol outside the building. The ordinance, according to County Attorney David Clark, will allow them to put signage as the wish. Clark also noted that the golf course is likely to require its own license and “point of contact,” meaning someone responsible for the operation.
Paris asserted that he wanted the operation to basically allow for the sale when people ask without making any major notice or advertisements anywhere. Brumby has also started looking at other courses in their management of alcohol sales and advertisements as well, according to Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson.
Another note brought up in the meeting came as Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker publicly noted that the county deleted something in its changes removing requirements regarding state roads.
Clark stated, “The reason that was deleted is that there may be other facilities in the county that may qualify from the distance requirements that aren’t necessarily located on state roads. Nothing in particular at this point in time, but it’s just that that’s been a bone of contention with some of these [stores].”
Parker replied, “I’m just saying, we are opening it up… We have to recognize that. That’s all I’m saying.”
Paris noted that many places not on state roads have licenses as they were “grandfathered in.”
Parker replied, “The current policy is anti-competitive. I agree.” He said that his approach understanding the anti-competitive nature is that the county was trying to keep from being anti-competitive.
The board also discussed adding allowances for special use permits for events in area such as River Park. However, upon discussing details for an idea like a “Wine Walk” allowing local vineyards, each of the commissioners agreed that they wanted to address changes to the ordinance in steps and not add any additional ideas along with the Golf Course. As per the specific location of River Park, some debate came from who owns or leases different areas of the park. Ultimately, the board didn’t go into depth on the idea as they decided to focus on the Golf Course now and address other ideas separately.
County seeks to help farms to support recovery
News June 18, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer’s Board of Commissioners made two approvals this week for farms to, as Chairman Charlie Paris said, “try to recover as quickly as possible.”
While Paris said they are looking at several areas of the county’s economy, two of the approvals in June focused solely on farms and agriculture including the first steps of a change and easing of the ordinance for Farm Wineries and a Resolution supporting the “Right to Farm Act” in legislation.
With local farm wineries, Paris said the only way the county can really help with this is through lessening regulations. To that end, the Commissioners voted to approve moving forward with advertising to change the ordinance to allow local wineries in the unincorporated parts of the county “to serve local Georgia craft beer in their tasting rooms. They would not be allowed to sell the beer packaged and there will be no Sunday sales.”
Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson said, “I know that the winery owners have requested this for some time and we were waiting to bring it up and to see when the right time was. I do think it is a great time to put that gesture in… I also love the fact that we are restricting it to Georgia Craft beers, so it is not any of the name brand national or international brands.”
Gary Engel speaks to Commissioners in June of 2020 about easing the ordinance restrictions for local Farm Wineries and allowing craft beer sales of Georgia Craft Beers.
Gary Engel spoke to the Commissioners in the work session noting that a few wineries were represented in the audience. He said that other counties in the state are already selling beers. He also noted that it would not equate to a great surge in sales, but rather it allows a service to different tastes. Engel said that sometimes a couple will come up to listen to music, one doesn’t like wine but would enjoy a cold beer. He did say that the small increase in sales could aid in the wineries business as well.
He also said they are wanting to increase and pursue the business as Gilmer is increasing in popularity with these as well. Engel said, “From a perspective of the state, with the number of wineries that are going into Gilmer County, this county will soon be the most populated county, south of Virginia, with wineries.”
Additionally, the other approval for farms came in support of a legislative Act in Georgia, the “Right to Farm” Act. Paris said that lawsuits come often against farms as people move in nearby and then sue over the smells or noise. Paris explained that through discussions with farmers, he found that these are not often won, but are often filed and can be expensive to fight against in courts.
In support of local farmers and through discussions with them, Paris said that they asked for support for this Act in protection of some of what he called “nuisance lawsuits.”
The Act increases requirements to file lawsuits against farms according to Paris, in attempt to protect them from some of these filings.
The approval came for Resolution to support the Act at the state level in efforts to help it pass.