Albany Commission clashes on granting beer licenses

ALBANY — Applications for package beer sales at two stores came under fire on Tuesday from some Albany City Commission members, with commissioners denying one and approving the second in a 4-3 vote.

Commissioners voted 5-2 to deny a license to sell beer for off-premises consumption at the 1209 E. Residence Ave. Eastside Mini Mart, with Commissioner B.J. Fletcher and Bo Dorough casting the two votes in favor.

Several commissioners have this year questioned whether the city should grant alcohol sale licenses in minority and impoverished neighborhoods and pointed to potentially harmful impacts those sales can have on members of the communities in which they are located.

Commissioner Demetrius Young, who was joined in opposing approval of the license for the convenience store by Commissioners Matt Fuller, Jon Howard, Bob Langstaff and Chad Warbington, pointed to studies he said showed that locations such as the one in question are not a good fit for alcohol sales. The store is in a “high-crime” area, he said.

“(Minority communities are) more prone to juvenile violence, more prone to overall violence, when there are alcohol sales in the neighborhood,” Young said. “Those studies have shown it just leads to other problems in the area.”

Other nearby stores sell beer, he said, and he is concerned about a saturation of stores offering alcohol.

Owner Linda Taylor, who began operating the store earlier this year, said she was never informed by anyone with the city there would be any issue with obtaining a license at the location, where beer was sold by a previous owner. She said the inability to sell beer would cut her expected profits by about 10 percent.

Young said he agreed with Taylor that alcohol is sold illegally at “shot houses” in the area, but that allowing a store to sell beer in the area is not good for the neighborhood. He suggested working with the city’s economic development officials to find alternatives to alcohol that could improve her bottom line and make up for the lost revenue.

Taylor said she has made an effort to stock products needed in the neighborhood and that her sales are regulated, unlike those made illegally at residences.

“I have gone over and beyond,” she said. “I want to be able to do everything I can to compete with the other existing businesses. At the end of the day, I’m a mom raising two children working 12 hours a day.

“I don’t see a reason for being denied, especially when there are other businesses in the neighborhood” that sell alcohol.

Fuller, who visited the store last week, said he did notice an improvement in the appearance of the store and the variety of inventory. Howard said the issues for him are the proliferation of stores that sell alcohol in high-poverty areas and a desire to improve the city.

“Look at the location,” Howard said. “Look at the Zip Code. Enough is enough. I think we need to look at something that’s going to improve the community and build up our community. We need to make sure we move in a positive direction after this coronavirus.”

Young is correct in the need to regulate alcohol sales in certain locations, but the question of how to limit alcohol sales in neighborhoods where they could be a detriment is one the commission will likely need to address in the future, Fletcher said, indicating it is unfair to single Taylor out.

“I know this lady,” Fletcher said. “She’s a hard worker. (She) has put her hard-earned money into this (and) was not told she would not be able to get an alcohol license.”

Taylor can request a public hearing on the issue, Dorough said.

Dorough was joined by Commissioners Fuller, Fletcher and Langstaff in voting to approve the package beer sale license for Rusty Hook Bait & Tackle at 922 Radium Springs Road.

The vote came after a public hearing during which owner Marian Messer told commissioners that customers have asked about purchasing beer while buying their bait and other fishing supplies. Those customers prefer to make all of their purchases at one location instead of having to make multiple stops before heading out to the water, she said.

Nathaniel Young, the city’s director of license and business support, reported that there are six stores that sell alcohol in close proximity, three that sell drinks on premises and three for off-premises consumption.

Young raised the same objections to the location and proximity to a largely residential area and noted it is close to Albany State University.

“We’re talking about off-premises consumption,” Dorough said. “We’re not talking about another liquor store. We’re trying to do everything we can to help businesses survive. I just happen to disagree with the impact these businesses will have on the community.”

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