LaFayette, Georgia, residents can buy alcohol on Sundays beginning this week.
Mayor Andy Arnold said the city council approved an amendment to its alcohol ordinance Monday night, 4-0. The amendment allows restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays. Previously, restaurants could only sell beer and wine Mondays through Saturdays. The businesses could never sell liquor by the drink.
Now, they can sell beer and wine on Sundays, as well as liquor by the drink any day.
The change also allows stores to sell beer and wine on Sundays. Previously, stores could only sell alcohol the other six days of the week. Stores still cannot sell liquor, regardless of what day it is.
The council’s action comes a month after voters approved the changes on referendums. They approved beer and wine sales on Sundays, 982-635. They approved liquor by the drink sales, 1,049-567.
Voters also approved beer and wine sales in stores on Sundays, 938-637.
There is still one issue that has not been resolved, though. Arnold said city attorney Ron Womack wrote the amendment to charge $4,000 for alcohol licenses. This was the maximum amount a city in Georgia can charge, Arnold said, but the council felt the price was too steep.
They told Womack to amend the change. It will be either $1,000 or the minimum amount the state allows a city to charge.
Womack did not immediately return a call or email seeking comment.