City asks state for authority to restrict gun sales

By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Atlanta City Council voted without opposition Mondayfor legislation requesting state lawmakers to allow cities to restrict where guns are sold.

Council members supported the idea, but predicted it wouldn't get far at the state Capitol, where the Republican-led Legislature is largely supportive of gun rights.

"I just think it's going to fall on deaf ears over there," Councilwoman Felicia Moore said during the meeting.

Councilman Michael Julian Bond, the lead sponsor of the legislation, expressed hope that state Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) would support the idea. Bond conceded Moore might be right about the bill's likelihood of passing. Still, Bond said it's important for the city and state leaders to talk about gun safety that are more troublesome in urban areas like Atlanta.

"If we can help them understand it's not about restricting their rights," Bond said in an interview. "Then maybe we can begin to have a healthy conversation."

Bond pushed for legislation after learning about a pawn shop's plans to open and sell guns near a high school in southwest Atlanta. The councilman and his peers also introduced legislation allowing the city to decide where new pawn shops can operate. The idea is similar to ls a law that prohibits liquor stores from operating within 1,500 feet of a school, church, library, hospital, park or child-care facility.

The proposed legislation would impact only pawn shops that open after the proposed changes are made. The legislation likely will be discussed next week by the council's zoning committee. It does not need state approval, Bond said.

In other business Monday, the council will allow motorists to park longer in some parts of downtown Atlanta, in this case for three hours instead of two on Mitchell Street and the Fairlie-Poplar area.

Mitchell Street business owners complained to Councilman Kwanza Hall that the two-hour limits were unfair for customers. Hall will push for it in other parts of the city if the change has a noticeable impact on business.