Alcohol ordinance could be amended

Pinho

It's been four years since Santa Rosa County voters elected to "go wet," allowing alcohol service and sales in the county.

Kinks, however, are still getting worked out of city ordinances.

At the Aug. 17 executive meeting of City Council, staff was directed to prepare an ordinance to amend the code pertaining to on-premises consumption to allow a restaurant to serve alcohol within 400 feet of a bar serving alcohol. Current code bans a bar or restaurant from serving within 400 feet of each other.

"I think it was the original intent of the ordinance to limit the proximity between bars, not to ban restaurants to serve alcohol within 400 feet of a bar," said City Attorney Matt Dannheisser. "Ordinance 17-09 just clarifies the original intent."

The situation was brought to light by Nick and Scott Wheatley, owners of The Bridge Bar and Lounge, early in August. Because the nearby Jambalaya's Oyster Bar and Grill restaurant sells liquor for on-premises consumption in their restaurant, The Bridge Bar and Lounge was limited to beer and wine sales as the two buildings are less than 400 feet apart.

At Monday night's council meeting, Ordinance 17-09 was passed upon first public hearing pertaining to separation distances between businesses that sell or serve alcohol. The ordinance opens the door for a bar to be within 400 feet of a restaurant that serves alcohol, but does not allow two bars or lounges to be within 400 feet of another. A second reading and public hearing and final vote will occur Oct. 19.

Ursula Pinho, owner of Monterrey's Restaurant, would like to see the council go further and address other limitations in the code that she says discourages business.

City code currently bans a restaurant from selling liquor if it is located within 150 feet of an existing church or school. Bars cannot serve or sell alcohol within 2,500 feet.

"I have tried a few times to offer a full bar, and I am told that I cannot because the property line of the shopping center is too close to the schools," Pinho said.

"I would like to see them measure to the location of the restaurant. I know they provided a variance for the Moulton Property restaurants at Sea Shell Collections, and they share a property line with (St. Ann Catholic Church).

"I have lost a lot of customers who leave when they see that we do not offer a full bar," she said.

Gulf Breeze City Manager Buz Eddy confirmed that the measurements are made grounds to grounds by property line.

"I think it would be good for all businesses if all restaurants in the city could serve alcohol," Pinho said.

"Many of my customers want a rum-and-coke or a tequila margarita with their meal. It is part of the dining-out experience for them."

The wet-dry issue went before the county electorate seven times since 1937 before winning the public vote in 2005.

In 1993, the county voted to maintain its dry status by a margin of 15,582 to 11,717. Gulf Breeze Precinct 22, or Gulf Breeze Proper, voted down going wet by a margin of 1,230 to 934.

Statistics for 2005 were not separated by precinct or zip code because it was a mail-in ballot.

However, at every city council meeting where alcohol service hours and guidelines were discussed, a majority of those who attended spoke in favor of expanding service and service hours at restaurants.