Sunday alcohol sales are being expanded by the Marietta City Council.
The Jan. 10 vote was 6-0-1 with Councilwoman Michelle Cooper Kelly abstaining since she is employed by a large brewery that also owns several craft breweries.
To comply with Senate Bill 85, licensed malt beverage and distilled spirit manufacturers “may sell to the public for consumption on the premises 12:30 p.m. to midnight Sundays with no requirement for the sale of prepared meals or food,” according to the change in the city’s alcoholic beverage ordinance.
Previously, an establishment had to earn at least 50 percent of its total annual gross food and beverage sales from food sales.
Since Sept. 1, state law now allows breweries and distilleries to have sales for consumption on premises and to sell up to one case of beer or three bottles of distilled spirits per customer per day.
“Though the volume of sales has been capped, there is a lack of clarity concerning hours/days of operation - particularly pertaining to Sunday sales,” said Marietta Economic Development Manager Daniel Cummings in a Nov. 29 memo to Mayor Steve Tumlin and the City Council.
“Some interpretations of the bill would exclude manufacturers from the 50 percent food sales requirement for Sunday sales,” Cummings added.
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