Conyers City Council to consider six requests for liquor stores/licenses

The Conyers City Council is expected to consider six applications for liquor stores/licenses (three of them transfers to different managers at existing stores where they are already permitted) at the Sept. 16 City Council meeting. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 1194 Scott St., Conyers.

The council is expected to vote on a special use permit to establish a package store at the former Folks restaurant, 1081 Iris Drive S.E. The council voted to table a decision on the application at its Aug. 19 meeting after Councilmembers Connie Alsobrook and Valyncia Smith voiced concerns.

“I asked for it to be tabled because I wanted more information. The city attorney said we could face litigation, if we denied the application. I was very concerned about that. I didn’t understand the purpose of the application for a special use permit, if our only choice was to approve it,” Alsobrook said.  “I also wanted to know more about the eight criteria that the Planning Department cited as their reason for recommending approval for the special permit.”

Smith said some of the criteria included that the business had to be located at least 200 yards from a church and 100 yards from any schools. The building also could not create traffic congestion.

Smith said even with the Planning and Zoning Department’s recommendation for approval, however, she wanted to discuss the matter with other business owners and a nearby church in the area.

“They were not in favor of it,” said Smith. “When you bring in a liquor store and you’ve already got a restaurant that sells alcohol that would be right next door to the liquor store, two extended stay hotels in the area, and an application for a special use permit for a transitional housing for men all in the same area, that could be a problem.”

Smith said there were 300 incidents of police presence at the extended stay hotel behind the site of the proposed liquor store between Jan. and Aug. 2020.

The council also is expected to consider:

• Charlie Lee Franks’ application for a retail liquor store, Crest Wines and Spirits, at 1927 Highway 138 N.E., Conyers.
• Sherry Yvonne Nelson’s application for a managerial transfer of a beer and wine license on behalf of the Kroger store #320, 1745 Highway 138 S.E., Conyers.
• Kalpana D. Patel’s application for a retail liquor store, SHIV USA Package Store, 116 West Ave. S.W., Conyers.
• Greg T. Saunders’ application for a managerial transfer of a beer and wine license on behalf of Walgreen’s #10479, 1738 Highway 138 S.E., Conyers.
• Stacey Robinson Wheeler’s application for a managerial transfer of a beer, wineand liquor license on behalf of O’Charley’s #259, 1289 Dogwood Drive, S.W.