Tuesday, October 22, 2024–11:18 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Variances for Rome’s 50-50 food-to-drink ratio could be eliminated, if the Rome City Commission agrees with the Rome Alcohol Control Commission.
Establishments that serve liquor must garner at least half of their revenue from the sale of food unless a variance is granted.
Currently, there are three establishments operating with variances. Old Havana is able to count tobacco sales toward meeting the 50-50 ratio while Alibi Prohibition and Combat Market is allowed by a variance to count gun sales. The most recent variance was granted for Elevation Cigar House on North Fifth Avenue, which permits sale of premium tobacco products to count toward the ratio.
On Monday, the ACC voted to recommend approval of an alcohol ordinance amendment that would eliminate any future variances.
“The three existing variances would be able to continue,” said Rome City Clerk Joe Smith. “They would not be forced to give up their variances, but there would be no future variances. In the future, any establishment that sells distilled spirits would be required to meet our traditional food-to-drink ratio using only food sales.”
Also, on Monday, the ACC made a recommendation regarding food trucks.
Currently, the ordinance allows the food sales from on-site food trucks to be counted toward an establishment’s food-to-drink ratio. The recommendation is to eliminate that option, effective January 1.
Smith is only aware of one establishment that is currently using food truck sales, and that is The Foundry at the corner of Fifth Avenue and West Third Street.
“If this ordinance amendment is ultimately passed by the city commission, The Foundry could still have food truck sales, but those sales would not count toward their food-to-drink ratio,” Smith said. “They would need to serve food through their kitchen.”
Proposed liquor store granted another package license extension
The Alcohol Control Commission also voted Monday to approve another extension of the beer, wine, and liquor package license request for Cherokee Valley, LLC at the corner of Riverside Parkway and Riverside Industrial Drive. The request was originally approved on April 17, 2023, with the first extension being granted on October 16, 2023. Another extension was granted on April 15 of this year, with the stipulation that the applicant would come back before the ACC during the October meeting if the store has not been completed.
According to Smith, if the application was not for a liquor package store, there would probably not be as much discussion, but since state law requires a 1,500-foot buffer between liquor stores, the applicant wants to keep his place in line, so to speak.
“We told the applicant Monday that in the unlikely event that another liquor store applicant was to apply with the City of Rome and they were located within 1,500 feet of his proposed location, then we would probably have another discussion with him,” Smith said. “I don’t anticipate that happening. I don’t believe there is any place within that distance where you could even place a liquor store.”
The applicant told the ACC Monday that he expects to break ground on the store in two months.