ACC still considering axing liquor-food ratio
Public comments might be accepted during the April 17 meeting.
Rome’s Alcohol Control Commission may be ready to drop the food sales requirement for venues that serve liquor, but it won’t happen without a scuffle.
“It’s a question of do we want to be open to the old ‘cowboy times’ of a saloon on every corner,” said ACC member and City Commissioner Milton Slack. “I don’t drink, but I don’t care if you drink. But there has to be some controls.”
The city dropped its 50-percent food sales requirement for establishments that serve beer and wine in 2010. On Monday, the six-member ACC debated eliminating the ratio entirely.
Plans are to call for public comments at the panel’s meeting on April 17.
“I think it’s served its purpose,” ACC citizen-member Colin Doss said. “It seems sort of anti-business now.”
Several other members also indicated support for modernizing the decades-old regulation, to encourage a wider range of venues such as dance clubs and tasting rooms.
City Commissioner Wendy Davis, who chairs the ACC, acknowledged concerns that the change could bring trouble-spots.
“But maybe have some faith in our community that dive bars aren’t going to thrive,” she said.
However, City Clerk Joe Smith checked ordinances in 16 comparable Georgia cities — including Dalton, Cartersville, Cedartown and John’s Creek — and found only Kennesaw, Marietta and Acworth had removed their food-to-drink ratios. And Bob Blumberg, owner of Johnny’s New York Style Pizza on Broad Street, said many existing venues have worked hard to meet the requirement.
“I think you will see mixed views on this,” he told the ACC.
Dan Falcitelli, director of Floyd Against Drugs, also spoke against eliminating
restrictions on serving alcohol, saying it sends the wrong message to kids.
“If you’re an adult and want to drink, fine, but we do have a problem with our young,” Falcitelli said. “The age of onset here is age 13 and below.”
If the ACC recommends dropping the ratio, the change would have to pass the full Rome City Commission. And the effect could be limited, since state law requires 50-percent food sales for any establishment that opts to serve liquor on Sundays.
The panel also plans to study the possibility of creating a public consumption area where drinks bought from merchants can be taken into the street. Acworth, Roswell and Dalton are among the cities that have done so, according to Smith.
However, ACC member and City Commissioner Bill Irmscher — who favors dropping the food ratio — is not a fan.
“You should finish your drink before you leave the restaurant,” he said.