HELEN — A nearly 45-year-old Helen grocery store wants to change with the times, including serving beer and wine by the drink.
It's a trend seen in some Atlanta area grocery megastores, and now visitors to Georgia's Alpine Village are asking Darlene Broadway and her staff at Betty's Supermarket to allow them to enjoy that opportunity in the White County city.
Broadway brought the issue before the Helen City Commission this week.
Under one proposal that Broadway brought, the city could amend its existing farm winery license to reflect the provision in state law that a farm winery can serve beer and wine by the glass at up to five off-site locations, City Attorney Carl Free explained. In that instance, Broadway would have to partner with a particular farm winery.
"The other proposal that Darlene had, whereby she would just be getting an on-premises consumption license, we would need to amend [the ordinance] to reflect that grocery stores of a certain size, with certain criteria, are also allowed to obtain an on-premises consumption license," Free told the commission.
Free said he's not aware of any grocery stores in Northeast Georgia that currently have beer and wine by the drink, but said at least one Kroger in the Atlanta area now includes a small bar offering mostly local beers and wine.
"There are a number of grocery stores in Atlanta now where you can buy a glass of beer or a glass of wine," Free said.
Commissioners discussed including minimum square footage and other factors in any proposed ordinance change to prevent a store that simply sells milk and bread from being able to obtain a license to serve beer and wine by the drink.
"I think it could be crafted in such a way that it applied to a true grocery store like Betty's," Free said.
Commissioner Fred Garmon made the motion for the city to begin the process of developing an ordinance amendment that would allow for grocery stores of at least a minimum designated size and meeting other criteria to obtain a license to serve beer and wine by the drink for on-premises consumption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Cinnamon Spurlock and was approved.
While on the subject of farm wineries and alcohol sales, Spurlock said she wants to make sure if a farm winery wants to place a tasting room in Helen that city ordinances will allow it.
"We can tweak both ordinances," Free said.
Spurlock made a motion to have Free review and submit a draft for the revised farm winery ordinances as well. That motion was seconded by Commissioner Judy Holloway and was approved.
Before the commission could move on with its agenda, Building and Zoning Administrator Larry Krul told commissioners of an alcohol-related inquiry he received.
"In keeping with that theme, I got a phone call today from a gentleman who is interested in an artisan distillery in the city limits, possibly," Krul said.
An artisan distillery, Krul said, sells it own brand of liquor produced there.
Free said the city's current zoning doesn't have a provision for that type operation.
"That's a fairly recent phenomenon that's been approved by the state," Free said.
Free told Krul to let the person who inquired know if he wants to make a proposal to the city commission, it could be heard.
Because the legal development permitting artisan distilleries is so recent, Free said he hasn't looked at the provisions closely. He added the city likely would need an ordinance allowing it should city leaders be approached and decide they want to permit such operations.
Free reminded city leaders that while a particular business such as Betty's may be the catalyst for an ordinance change, any ordinance would create the opportunity not only for that business but also for anyone who meets its requirements.
Following the meeting, Mayor Helen Wilkins discussed the alcohol issue.
"We are looking at revamping our alcohol ordinance, because it's pretty outdated as far as serving of beer and wine by wineries," Wilkins said. "We don't have anything in our ordinance now that the farm wine people could come in and serve a glass of wine or a beer. It's only tasting."
Wilkins explained that Broadway has constructed a new outside deck at Betty's and would like to utilize that area and fence the adjoining yard for on-premises consumption.
"We're looking at true grocery stores such as Betty's, which is our only true grocery store," Wilkins said. "Darlene Broadway who owns Betty's … has added a deck and this would all be contained in her yard area and the new outside deck, where she would be able to serve a glass of wine or a beer with a sandwich or without."
Free will draft possible ordinance revisions and bring them back to the city commission at an upcoming meeting. Any ordinance change requires two readings to pass.
