New liquor store still in limbo after city approval

The wait is still on to see what happens with a new liquor store proposed for North Main Street in Cedartown.

City commissioners after tabling a decision on whether to grant a license to Jagrutiben Patel back in August decided in October to grant the combined malt beverage, wine and package license that others argued shouldn’t be allowed.

A positive vote for the store locally hasn’t meant that it could open immediately. There’s still a lot of work to be done before anyone opens the doors.

The previous problem came down to how far away the front door of the new store lays from Northside Elementary School, since state laws require a distance of at least 200 yards between a school and a store selling alcohol. Arguments were presented by local attorney Brad McFall, who represented Cedartown Liquor Outlet owner Paresh Patel during the August meeting over the question of whether to allow the store to open.

M c F a l l a r g u e d during that session the measurements didn’t meet the state requirements, and commissioners decided to table the permit decision until a survey could be redone.

City Manager Bill Fann said the measurements actually came out greater with a new survey after fencing was installed and the state clarified what they required in terms of distance between the proposed store and Northside Elementary School’s property.

Because a chain link fence has been installed and increased the walking distance from the front door of the former Family Dollar to the school, it kept the distance within state requirements.

Though the city gave their approval for issuing the license, Fann said he has not been made aware whether final state approval for the business was completed.

He said by e-mail that “I have no idea where they are in that” process of getting state approval to open.