Dalton Council approves new alcohol sales ordinance
MGN
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) — The Dalton Mayor and Council have passed a new ordinance regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages.
In a special meeting held Tuesday, the Council voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 24-27
This amends Chapter 6 of Dalton’s Code of Ordinances, paving the way for new businesses to serve distilled spirits under specific conditions.
Bars and cafés in Dalton can now obtain licenses to pour distilled spirits, joining restaurants.
According to the ordinance, a “bar” must derive at least 75% of its revenue from on-site alcohol sales, while a “café” must generate a minimum of 25% of its revenue from food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Restaurants, which must earn at least 50% of their revenue from meals, remain the only establishments allowed to serve alcohol on Sundays under Georgia’s “brunch bill.”
The ordinance also standardizes alcohol service hours across these businesses.
Bars and cafés can serve alcohol until 1:00 a.m., with patrons required to exit by 1:30 a.m.
Restaurants have extended hours until 2:00 a.m. for alcohol service, with all alcoholic beverages cleared from tables by 3:00 a.m.
City leaders have worked throughout the year on these changes, gathering public input at meetings in March, August, and September.
Earlier drafts of the ordinance included stricter requirements, such as mandatory ID scanners and security cameras, but these measures were removed from the final version.
However, a requirement for security personnel remains in place for establishments selling distilled spirits, effective from 10:00 p.m. onward.
The new ordinance also returns initial review authority for alcoholic beverage licenses to the Dalton Public Safety Commission, which will forward recommendations to the Mayor and Council for final approval.
Violations of the updated alcohol code will also fall under the commission’s purview.
The Council’s vote was 3-0 in favor.
The new regulations will take effect on January 1, 2025, allowing local businesses time to adapt to the changes and apply for the newly available licenses.
