Athens City Code

1. (1) Initial qualification. To be eligible to apply for or to receive a local liquor store privilege license, an applicant, or, in the case of an applicant group, each member of the applicant group, must satisfy all of the requirements and conditions, which must be shown and stated in the application submitted to the city council, to request a certificate of compliance with the requirements and conditions in ACC 8-47 incorporated herein by reference and form a part of the qualifications which must be met by an applicant before receiving a local liquor store privilege license. In addition, before an applicant is eligible to receive a local liquor store privilege license, the applicant, or, in the case of an applicant group, each member of the applicant group, must satisfy all of the other requirements of this chapter, the requirements of the state alcoholic beverage commission, and all applicable state law, rules and regulations for the holder of a liquor retailer's license.
2. (2) Public officers and employees. No license shall be issued to a person who is a holder of a public office, either appointed or elected, or who is a public employee, either national, state, county or city. It is unlawful for any such person to have any interest in such liquor store, either directly or indirectly, either proprietary or by means of a loan or participation in the profits of any such business. This prohibition shall not apply, however, to uncompensated, appointed members of boards or commissions who have no duties covering the regulation of alcoholic beverages or beer.
3. (3) Felons. No licensee shall be a person who has been convicted of a felony within ten years prior to the time he or she or the legal entity with which he or she is connected shall receive a license, provided that this provision shall not apply to any person who has been so convicted but whose rights of citizenship have been restored or judgment of infamy has been removed by a court of competent jurisdiction. In case of such conviction occurring after a license has been issued and received, the license shall immediately be revoked if such convicted felon is an individual licensee and, if not, the partnership, corporation, limited liability company or association with which he or she is connected shall immediately discharge him or her and he or she shall have no further interest therein or else such license shall be immediately revoked.
4. (4) Employee felons. No licensee shall employ in the storage, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages any person who, within ten years prior to the date of his or her employment, shall have been convicted of a felony. In the case that an employee is convicted of a felony while he or she is employed by a licensee at a liquor store, he or she shall be immediately discharged after his or her conviction, provided that this provision shall not apply to any person who has been so convicted but whose rights of citizenship have been restored or judgment of infamy has been removed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
5. (5) Liquor offenses. No license shall be issued to any person who, within ten years preceding application for such license or permit, shall have been convicted of any offense under the laws of the state or any state or the United States regulating the sale, possession, transportation, storing, manufacturing, or otherwise handling of alcoholic beverages or beer.
6. (6) Disclosure of interest. It is unlawful for any person to have ownership in or participate in, either directly or indirectly, the profits of any liquor store unless his or her interest in such business and the nature, extent and character thereof shall appear on the application or if the interest is acquired after the issuance of a license unless it is fully disclosed to the city manager and approved by him or her in a timely manner.
7. (7) Age. No licensee shall be a person under the age of 21 years, and it is unlawful for any licensee to employ any person under the age of 18 years for the physical storage, sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages or to permit any such person under such age in his or her place of business to engage in the storage, sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages.
8. (8) Interest in only one liquor store. A person shall have an interest, either direct or indirect, in no more than one liquor store licensed under this chapter in the city.

(Ord. No. 1035, § 1(8-219), 3-17-2015)