Dalton council to vote on alcohol change tonight

Published 9:51 pm Sunday, October 4, 2015

Dalton City Council members could vote tonight on a law that would allow customers to take alcoholic drinks out of downtown restaurants and bars.

The City Council tabled the ordinance — which would allow licensed restaurants and bars within the downtown Dalton business district to sell alcoholic beverages up to 16 ounces in a plastic or paper cup to patrons who could then carry them outside within the business district — at its Sept. 21 meeting.

Council members said they supported the law but were concern that it did not place any limits on the time someone could carry one of those drinks outside.

Council members also said they would also like to see the ordinance require that any drinks served to be carried out of a restaurant be in a special, easily identified container.

Both of those changes have been incorporated into the law, which now says outside consumption can take place only between 12:30 p.m. and midnight, that cups to be carried outside must conform to specifications to be developed by the Downtown Dalton Development Authority (DDDA) and that consumption from any can, bottle or glass is prohibited.

“It looks like the changes the council requested have been made,” said Mayor Dennis Mock. “I anticipate we will approve this.”

The downtown business district is bordered on the north by Waugh Street, on the east by the railway track, on the south by Morris Street and on the west by Thornton Avenue. But City Administrator Ty Ross said the latest version of the law includes a change requested by the DDDA which expands the area where drinks can be served and taken outdoors to include Little Five Points on North Hamilton Street.

Council members are also scheduled to hold the second reading of and vote on an ordinance that would allow the police department to deny a peddler’s license to anyone who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any crime of moral turpitude or who is facing any charge involving assault, battery, theft or fraud or any civil action involving unethical or improper business actions.