Bring Your Own Wine? Mayor Thinks It’s Fine!
Decatur Metro | June 7, 2011Is there anything worse than a rhyming post title? I don’t think so.
Anyway, the Mayor ended last night’s Decatur City Commission meeting with a few thoughts that he had noted on his smartphone. One was the current law which makes it illegal to bring your own bottle of wine to a restaurant and pay a “corking fee” to drink it at the table. (There was originally some confusion as to whether this was indeed illegal, but the City Manager verified it with a head-nod.)
You may remember that this very topic was brought up in a FFAF conversation back in January. The owner of Cafe Alsace explained to an unhappy resident that bringing your own wine to a restaurant was currently illegal in Decatur and that while some other restaurants might allow it, she followed the law.
Well, it sounds like she brought the issue up with Mayor Floyd, who mentioned he had a conversation with the owner of Cafe Alsace about the law and stated his desire to change it, due in part because it was difficult to enforce. Mayor Pro-Tem Baskett also stated his preference for changing the law.
In an alcohol-based economy like this one, I’m surprised such a law has lasted this long.
Latest from Decaturish
I really do not mean to whine
But I would rather bring a stein
And a growler that I hold dear
To fill my cup with a refreshing beer
“Alcohol based economy.” ROFL because it’s pretty accurate, especially in Decatur.
Interestingly, this issue also ties in with the proposal to allow restaurants to place tables on the MARTA plaza. If that proposal is approved, it seems the City Commission would need to amend the ordinances (or issue a special permit) on public consumption of alcohol (at least if the restaurants are hoping to serve alcoholic beverages to the patrons using those tables).
From Chapter 6, Sec. 6-22 of the City Ordinances: “It shall be unlawful for any person to drink any alcoholic beverages or any other intoxicating beverage at any public place within the city, or for any person to have in his possession any unsealed or opened container with such intoxicating beverage in it at any public place within the city, except as provided under the terms and conditions of special permits issued by the city commission.”
Will we face a situation where the restaurants and bars can serve alcohol to their patrons on the plaza , but City residents could not picnic in the area and enjoy a beer or glass of wine on their own? Is enforcement of this ordinance currently suspended during festivals and concerts on the square?
BTW, Sec. 6-23 reads “Brown bag establishments shall be prohibited within the city.”
So I guess every time we go to one of the Concerts on the Square in May and September, I’m breaking the law by bringing along beer in my cooler.
I feel so naughty.
You’re probably safe as long as you leave the beer in the cooler.
But that’s no fun!
Or maybe I can jury rig some kind of really long straw that reaches from the cooler to me.
I think your new name should be Homer. D’oh
>>>”Is enforcement of this ordinance currently suspended during festivals and concerts on the square? “<<<
Most likely, those events are what is alluded to in the following phrase:
"…except as provided under the terms and conditions of special permits issued by the city commission
Well, maybe not concerts on the square, but certainly the festivals in which acohol vendors are present.
We all owe zee lovely Benedicte of Cafe Alsace a big *mwah*, no?
I am so happy she raised this issue!
FYI, when you bring your own wine to a restaurant it’s considered good form to offer your server a taste. Except at Rathbun’s where it’s de rigeur to give Kevin Rathbun a glass.