The quest to bring a second liquor store to West Green continues. In May, the county commission approved a liquor license for Fairway Liquor, a liquor store located behind Fairway Foods in West Green.
A second liquor store, West Green Liquor, had also been under construction beside the second store in West Green a few hundred yards to the north. In June, the county commission denied a license for West Green Liquor based on its proximity to Fairway Liquor. State law requires that liquor stores be located at least 1,500 feet from each other. County officials measured the distance between the two stores and they are 1,203 feet apart. As a result, the commission denied the request.
However, county ordinance allows for a business owner to appeal such a denial. Monday morning, commissioners held a meeting with AJ Patel and Daz Patel to reconsider the alcohol license for West Green Liquor.
During the meeting, Daz Patel mentioned that he had planned to build West Green Liquor before Fairway; as such, he did not feel as though Fairway should have been granted a license first.
According to Daz, the real issue involves the two-step process that must be completed before a license is ultimately granted. The county has to approve the request then there’s another approval process through the state. Daz maintained that he had satisfied the county’s requirements and therefore the county should have granted his request. The count does not have any language in its ordinances stating that liquor stores must be 1,500 feet apart. “I want the county to do the right thing,” said Daz Patel. “But why do we have to follow state guidelines when the county has a policy, too?”
After listening to Daz’s comments, Commissioner Johnny Wayne Jowers stated that he was in favor of revisiting the decision. “I believe this is worthy of our consideration,” he said.
The commission went into executive session to further discuss the issue. When they came out of executive session, they agreed to grant West Green Liquor an alcohol license based on county policies.
That, however, is just one step of a two-step process. Daz Patel still has to deal with state regulators regarding the distance between the two stores. And it’s going to take a little time before that gets resolved.