Instead of acting on an ordinance change that would exempt much of downtown Statesboro from a rule prohibiting bars and other alcohol-pouring establishments within 100 yards of any church, City Council on March 19 quickly and quietly tabled the second reading.

City Manager Charles Penny then announced that a public information meeting on the proposal will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, in the council chambers at City Hall. The “proximity” rule in Statesboro’s Alcoholic Beverages Ordinance also prohibits licensing places to serve alcohol for on-premises consumption within 100 yards of “any school building, educational building, school grounds, college building, or college campus.”

The passage proposed to be added states: “The proximity requirements for on-premises licenses shall not be in effect for that portion of downtown bound by Cherry Street on the south, Hill and Elm Streets to the north, College Avenue to the west, and Mulberry Street to the east.”

So, if the amendment is adopted, someone could apply for a pouring license to open a bar, pub, restaurant or low-volume establishment within that area at a site less than 100 yards from a church, school or college building. Council would still have to decide whether to grant the specific license.

As it stands, the current ordinance allows the mayor and council to grant a “distance waiver” for a restaurant, a pub or a low-volume establishment (such as a salon that serves wine). But it makes no provision for a waiver for a “bar” or a “bar with kitchen,” business types defined in the city law for places that make most of their money from alcoholic beverages.

During the regular meeting two weeks earlier, on March 5, the council voted 5-0, on a motion from District 4 Councilmember John Riggs seconded by District 3 Councilmember Ginny Henley, to approve the first reading, sending the amendment forward to a second reading for possible final adoption.

But before the first-reading vote, Riggs commented that he had not decided whether he would vote for final approval and would be listening for community response.

“The next reading is in two weeks … I haven’t heard from any deacons yet, so I’ll vote for it today, until I’ve heard from people from the church, I don’t know how I’ll vote next meeting,” Riggs said, on March 5.

City Attorney Cain Smith, during that meeting and a previous council work session, said the issue came up because the creation of storefront churches and the presence of Georgia Southern University’s City Center, home of the GS Business Innovation Group, rule out some potential downtown locations for restaurants and bars under the existing ordinance. The city officials then discussed the possibility of bars near “legacy churches” downtown, with First Baptist Church and First United Methodist Church being the two examples. Smith said the council would still be able to deny an application for any specific location.

Tabled on Tuesday

When Mayor Jonathan McCollar and four City Council members arrived at the March 19 meeting, the “second reading and consideration of a motion to approve” was the first substantial item on the agenda. But McCollar announced that he expected a motion to table. Riggs made the motion, District 2 Councilmember Paulette Chavers seconded it, and the vote was 4-0.

None of the council members said anything, but Penny then announced the March 26 public information meeting.

“We’re going to do a little talking with the churches,” Riggs said when asked afterward about his motion to table.

 Asked whether he had heard from “deacons,” he said he had received a call from Lead Pastor John Waters of First Baptist Church Statesboro and understood that another council member had indeed heard from a deacon.

Penny indicated that this Tuesday’s public meeting about the proposal will not be a voting session of the council.

City staff members will “just walk through what the purpose of it is so everybody understands what we’re trying to do. …,” he said. “Council is welcome to come, but it’s not a meeting of the council.”

The actual agenda item, he said, is tabled until the council’s regular meeting at 9 a.m. April 2.