by Kathy Foster
In a workshop on Thursday evening members of the Chipley City Council voted to move ahead with the First Reading of the proposed Ordinance No. 952 dealing with the sale of alcohol within the city limits. The issue will be on the agenda for next Tuesday’s regular city council meeting.
As presently drafted the ordinance includes the following statements:
- It defines restaurant as an establishment that meets the requirements of Florida Statute 509.013 and to the extent where more restrictive than F.S. 509.13, where meals or prepared food, including beverages and confections, are served to customers for consumption on or off the premises; an establishment engaged primarily in the service of food and non-alcoholic beverages whose revenues derived from the sale of prepared food exceed 50% of its revenues. A restaurant must have full kitchen facilities and food preparations staff capable of preparing and serving full course meals during all hours of operation. A restaurant must have the appropriate license issued by the state as well as all city and/or county permits required by law and must meet all local zoning requirements for a restaurant.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to “publicly consume any alcoholic beverage within a radius of one hundred feet of any package store, food store, or any other place of business which sells alcoholic beverages unless being consumed within the privacy of any home, is hereby affirmed and shall remain in full force and effect insomuch as it applies to businesses which sell, furnish or deliver, alcohol for non-on-site premises consumption on or off the premises.
- It shall be unlawful to sell beer, wine, or other alcoholic or intoxicating beverages for consumption on the premises within 500 feet of any residence, place or establishment.
- The distance from schools will meet the requirements of Florida Statute 562.45(2). For measurement purposes, the distance shall be measured by measuring a radius from the main public entrance of the place or establishment. If any portion of a parcel of land used as a school lies within such radius, then the new establishment shall be deemed to be within such distance.
- No beer, wine, or other alcoholic or intoxicating beverages may be sold, consumed, or served, or permitted to be served or consumed in any place licensed under the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, or any other public placed in the incorporated area of Chipley daily between the hours of midnight and 4:00 a.m.
- No beer, wine, or other alcoholic or intoxicating beverages may be sold for on-site consumption in any place licensed under the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, or any other public place in the city of Chipley, daily between the hours of midnight and 7 a.m.
Chipley Administrator Dan Miner pointed out that the ordinance now being considered by the Chipley City Council has been intergrated with the Washington County alcohol ordinance in a move to help law enforcement dealing with potential situations.
The needs of the T.J. Roulhac Enrichment Center was another issue addressed at the workshop. Council members talked with TJ Simmons and Carla Rhynes-Campbell who were finally referred to the July 17 meeting of the Chipley Recreation Board, which will be held at the Chipley City Hall. They were told the board is developing a list of potential projects for which they will be seeking funding.
Councilwoman Tracy Andrews encouraged Simmons and Rhynes-Campbell to attend the Rec Board meeting and said she felt refurbishing the Enrichment Center buildings and grounds for the entire community.
The following items were discussed and will be acted on at Tuesday’s council meeting:
- Ordinance No. 951 – Utilities
- Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement with the Florida Division of Emergency Management
- A Budget Amendment
- Variance for Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity
- 5th Street Resurfacing and Drainage Improvements Project
- Planning & Zoning member Board appointments