Liquor Question On PG Ballot

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County’s justices of the peace last week approved calling for a Nov. 3 special election on the sale of liquor by the drink in parts of Prairie Grove.

“Now I can go get a drink,” Justice of the Peace Willie Leming, whose District 13 includes parts of Prairie Grove, said after the ordinance was approved Aug. 20.

Prairie Grove City Council passed a resolution at its Aug. 17 meeting to call for a referendum election to sell liquor by the drink in the areas of Prairie Grove that are wet, meaning they allow the sale of distilled alcohol.

Presently, an area of the city limits, about one square mile in the downtown section, is dry because of a vote held sometime in the early 1950s. Any areas annexed into the city after the wet/dry vote came in as wet.

The referendum was sought by the city and state law required the Quorum Court approve an ordinance to place it on the ballot. The city specifies the vote “would only allow liquor by the drink in the wet areas of Prairie Grove.”

Gabriela’s Mexican Restaurant is the only business that would be affected at this time if voters approve the measure. Gabriela’s new restaurant on Heritage Parkway is located in the wet part of Prairie Grove.

All other restaurants in Prairie Grove are in the dry part of town.

If voters approve the question, Gabriela’s would be able to apply for a permit from the state to sell liquor by the drink.

If approved by voters, the new city ordinance would be applicable for any businesses in the wet parts of Prairie

Grove, if they’ve applied and received a state permit to sell alcohol.

According to Arkansas law, all qualified electors in the city will be eligible to vote in the election, including those who live in the “dry” areas.

This is the second time the council has passed a resolution calling for a referendum election on selling liquor by the drink in the wet sections of town.

The council first passed a resolution at its Dec. 16, 2019, meeting, with the intention to place the alcohol question on the March 3 election ballot.

However, this resolution was not forwarded to the quorum court in time to be approved and then placed on the ballot.