WALKER COUNTY TO START LICENSING LIQUOR STORES

The Walker County Board of Commissioners revised the county’s Code of Ordinances last week to provide for the licensing of package sales of distilled spirits in the unincorporated areas of the county. 67% of Walker County voters approved a referendum last fall giving the county the ability to start issuing liquor store licenses, but it’s taken several months to work out the logistics.

A maximum of five licenses will be available in each of the four county commissioner districts for a total of no more than 20 licenses. Retail outlets must meet International Building Code standards, be a minimum of 1,500 square feet, and be located in a C-1 zone.

Distilled spirits can only be sold in outlets that are devoted exclusively to the retail sale of alcoholic beverages by the package, with the exception of items like ice and mixers. Sales will be permitted between 8:00 a.m. and midnight Monday through Saturday and between 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Tastings will also be allowed at stores a maximum of 52 times per year.

Since the potential exists for the county to receive more applications than licenses allotted upon initial offering, the Board also set criteria for initial applications for a license to sell distilled spirits by the package.

The Walker County Planning Office, located at 122 Highway 95 in Rock Spring, will accept new applications between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for five business days beginning September 5, 2023 and concluding September 11, 2023.

If an applicant passes the required criminal background check, then the Walker County Alcoholic Beverage Commission will consider applications based on the following criteria:

• The proposed location for the package store already has the proper zoning or an application for a zoning change has already been submitted;
• More than 1,500 feet separates the proposed location from all other proposed locations, giving due regard to the nature of the commercial area;
• The nature of the community near the proposed outlet location, that is, whether the same is predominantly residential, industrial or commercial;
• Proximity to public parks, playgrounds and schools;
• The square footage of the proposed location;
• Whether the proposed outlet location has adequate off-street parking facilities or other parking available for its customers;
• A notarized statement from a bank or similar financial institution that the applicant has the sufficient financial ability to purchase and maintain a minimum average retail inventory of distilled spirits in an amount not less than $200,000; and
• Meets all other requirements under Chapter 4 of the Code of Walker County.

If there are multiple applicants seeking a license for the same location, and all applicants meet the above criteria, then a blind draw among just those applicants will be conducted to determine who will receive the license for that specific location.

The Alcoholic Beverage Commission meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Walker County Civic Center, 10052 Hwy 27, in Rock Spring. Their next meeting will be held September 28, 2023.