Jones County voters approved package liquor sales in the county on the November ballot. The details of how that will come about is now up to the Board of Commissioners.
The Feb. 18 work session to discuss the topic was called to order by Chairman Chris Weidner, who explained the job at hand was the revision of the county’s ordinance to include the package sales of distilled spirits.
Jones County’s current ordinance only permits the package sale of beer and wine. With an eye on the tax revenue being lost to surrounding counties, commissioners voted Feb. 6, 2024, to place the referendum for the liquor sales on the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot. The referendum was approved with a vote of 9,705 in favor, which was 60 percent, and 5,748 opposed.
Weidner recognized Jones County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Earl Humphries to share the concerns expressed by Sheriff Butch Reece in a letter to the commissioners.
Humphries said those concerns focused on security cameras and hours of operation. The suggestion for cameras was for a high enough image resolution to identify faces and vehicles, at least 30 days of video storage, cameras at every register and at every entrance, exit and parking lot.
The chief said the sheriff’s office will inspect the facilities annually as part of the license renewal process to ensure the security systems are working and continue to meet the standards.
He suggested the package stores close by 10 p.m., which is in line with convenience stores, and no package sales allowed on Sundays.
Humphries said it would be understood the facilities would abide by all state regulations.
Commissioner Wendy Vaughn said she agreed with the proposed regulations. She said the technology requirements are much like convenience stores.
Commissioner Sam Kitchens said the regulations can include upgrades as needed.
Humphries said, in addition to the systems, an employee who can operate the system is required to be onsite. He emphasized that the facilities would be licensed for liquor sales, which is not a pouring license.
“There will be no consumption allowed on the premises,” he stated.
Weidner said he invited business owners James Barron and Clint Darcey to add their opinions when the discussion moved to the questions of square footage of the buildings, hours of operation and the number of package sales stores in the county.
Barron said he did not believe Jones County needs a huge liquor outlet. He said the stores would need to be open early enough to accept deliveries.
“No liquor store needs to be open after 10,” he added.
Barron asked the question of how many liquor stores Jones County needed, which also involves the zoning that would allow the stores.
A letter on that subject to the commissioners from Zoning Officer Tim Pitrowki presented two alternatives. The first was to allow the sales of distilled spirits as a conditional use in the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District.
The other option he presented was more strict, making the sales a conditional use in C-2 General Commercial Districts only.
Kitchens said he felt the county only needed two to four of package stores. Commissioner Daylon Martin was in favor of eight. Martin said he felt there could be four stores in his district alone.
The discussion continued to include the size of the stores and the area required for storage.
County attorney Ashley Brodie said the zoning needed to be in place before the ordinance is ready, and that would require more meetings.
The commissioners did agree no drive-thru windows would be allowed, four seemed to be the number of stores that would be allowed, and the stores would be at least 1,000 square feet.
Barron added comments as the meeting came to a close. He said LED lights were here to stay, but the signs did not need to be blinking or strobing. The businessman also asked board members to consider allow pouring licenses for restaurants in the county.
“I’m not talking about bars but restaurants that can serve alcohol,” he said. “You might not think drive-through windows are safe, but they are here to stay.”
