Santa Rosa considers alcohol sales permit for events
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- By AARON LITTLE
623-2120
alittle@srpressgazette.com
Posted Sep. 21, 2015 at 4:41 PM
Updated Sep 21, 2015 at 4:44 PMMILTON — Special events in Santa Rosa County may soon have access to a special permit that would allow alcohol sales on Sundays.
Commissioner Rob Williamson brought the issue to the board because he is concerned the extreme physical endurance course Tough Mudder may not return without such an incentive.
In the spring, the Santa Rosa Press Gazette reported restrictive alcohol sales times may keep the roughly 11-mile obstacle course through mud, freezing water and tear gas from returning next year.
According to a report prepared by the Brooklyn, New York, based Tough Mudder, Inc, the event contributed more than $6.1 million to the local economy, as well as attracting more than 14,500 out-of-market visitors.
Tough Mudder traditionally offers those who cross the finish line a free beer for their efforts after both the Saturday and Sunday runs. However, Tough Mudder took place in East Milton where liquor laws prohibit Sunday sales entirely.
Tourist Development Council Director Julie Morgan said Tough Mudder organizers have “shown interest, but have made no solid plans” to return to Santa Rosa County in 2016.
“We’re still in initial talks,” she said.
Williamson’s proposed amendment does not directly name Tough Mudder, but special tourist events. Commissioner Jayer Williamson asked exactly what sort of qualifications an event would need to receive an alcohol sales permit. He said he had several questions such as what number of anticipated attendees might be necessary and the nature of the event.
By the end of discussion, Commission Chairman Don Salter asked Williamson to work with County Attorney Roy Andrews to come back Thursday with details on how the permit will work.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Santa Rosa Considers Alcohol Sales Permit for Events
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Monday, September 21, 2015
Bill Appalls Duval County’s Citizens
It is well known in commerce that the
merchandise of alcohol is very strictly regulated by the relevant authorities.
One reason for this is to be able to control in some way the quantities of
alcohol that is being distributed, and additionally, to avoid the selling of
alcoholic beverages to minors. The requirements that the state imposes so as to
grant a business the permission of selling alcohol are related to specific
details such as the place and the time where alcoholic beverages shall be
consumed. Consequently, the United States limits the consumption of alcohol to
minors below the age of 21 and does not permit the production of distilled
spirits intended for personal consumption.
Furthermore, there are clear limitations on the alcohol
that is merchandised by grocery stores. The fact is that the regulations differ
from state to state and some counties are even given the possibility of
modifying certain rules as they desire, but only to a limited extent. For
instance, in the state of Florida spirits can be purchased from retail stores,
but the containers should not be larger than 1 gallon. In addition to this,
anyone who desires to purchase beer or wine is free to do so from supermarkets
and other businesses that are given permission to commercialize low-alcohol
spirits. Up to the present moment, people couldn’t purchase alcoholic beverages
from retail stores and grocery stores, but a bill that was recently adopted may
change the situation. The Florida House panel has recently adopted a bill that
will empower retailers such as Wal-Mart to sell liquor. The reason for this is
to increase the sales in craft beer. Not many are aware of the fact that state
regulations stipulate that liquor has to be sold only in specialized stores and
thus be separated from the rest of the grocery store. It is only natural that
much opposition has arisen after the passing of this law.
The first to publicly manifest their disapproval
was the sheriff of Duval County that argued the fact that this will have
serious repercussions visible in the increase of underage drinking. He voiced
the concern that making alcoholic beverages more available to the public does
not necessarily represent the removal of a so-called barrier between
businesses. Moreover, grocery chains such as Publix disagreed with the
resolution taken owing to the fact that it affects the infrastructure that the
grocery store has developed especially for the sale of alcoholic beverages. While
many are of the opinion that this law will only be beneficial to the running of
the business, the truth is that for smaller stores the removal of this wall
will actually be more expensive owing to the fact that the liquor licenses
costs thousands of dollars that will automatically go down the drain, not to
mention the investments made in infrastructure. Additionally, many store owners
and employees alike do not have the necessary knowledge of alcohol in order to
know how to sell it. Despite all these arguments the bill passed with a 9 to 4
vote.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Beneficial Changes for Palm Beach Business Owners
Whether you own a bar, restaurant or grocery store, getting
a liquor license is extremely important. The main reason for this being that
the federal and national laws are very strict as far as commercializing alcohol
is concerned.
Taking into consideration the approach of the busy season, bars,
restaurants and shop owners should prepare for an increasing demand, especially
in terms of alcoholic beverages. This means not only filling their stocks, but
also having all the paperwork in accordance with the law. The summer is,
undoubtedly, the time of the year when a large number of tourists, especially
northern, come to Florida to spend their holidays, and one of the most popular
counties is Palm Beach. However, for restaurant owners, the beginning of the
season is a double-edged sword: one the one hand they are starting to have more
clients, while on the other, they may not be able to fulfill their demands, due
to legal concerns. For instance, if a Palm Beach bar or restaurant has
international customers; it will be quite confusing for everybody to see that
they can get wine and beer, but not whiskey, vodka or other hard alcoholic
beverages. But this confusion is something normal for locals, since legislation
regarding alcohol commercialization varies not only from one state to another,
but also between the counties of the same state.
Although the facilities in the area have reached the highest
levels of quality, some clients may still be disturbed by the legal limitations
in terms of liquor selling and buying, especially if they come from regions or
countries where alcoholic beverages can be obtained without any effort. Clients’
satisfaction is extremely important for those who want to create a strong brand
and become known in the industry, which is why not being able to serve people
whatever they need represents a considerable drawback. For this reason, as soon
as the tourist season approaches, owners strive to get their liquor license.
Although wine and beer authorization may be easier to
obtain, those who want the extra mile also apply for licenses of selling
distilled spirits. Fortunately, the changes that have been recently made to the
legal system of the state of Florida seem to be beneficial for those who are
trying to develop their businesses. In spite of the fact that the federal law
is still somehow restrictive as far as alcohol consumption and
commercialization are concerned (there are certain hours when selling alcohol
is prohibited, not to mention that you cannot purchase it from any grocery
store), the law that took effect starting July 1st, 2015 brought a considerable
increase in liquor sales.
Apparently, with the season blooming and the laws supporting
the alcohol trade, it seems that it is the perfect moment to take advantage and
start (or improve) your business in the industry of entertainment. Although
alcohol sales have represented an issue years ago, now it has become easier for
traders to attract tourists, due to their larger possibility to offer them what
they want. The law was aimed to support local businesses: at the moment, bars
and breweries are able to store and transport 64 ounce growlers, as compared to
32 or 128 ounce, quantities that made the containers either inefficient or difficult
to transport.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Ban on alcohol sales in Miami Beach
The reality is that at present many businesses specialize
in commercializing alcoholic beverages and heavily rely on it order to make
profit. At present, the income that most businesses such as supermarkets or
restaurants generate is represented by alcohol purchases, whether they like to
admit it or not. Not just anyone is allowed to sell wine or beer in the state
of Florida and this is when the topic of liquor licenses comes into discussion.
In essence, the liquor license is a special permit that gives the business the
right to merchandise alcohol such as wine, beer and so on for full-service
alcohol establishments. The reason for which the merchandise of beverages is
regulated by the authorities is that they desire to have some sort of control
over the quantities that are being sold and in order to limit the access to
citizens such as children that are not yet of age.
Among the many specifications that a business
owner has to comply with is the actual location where beverages can be served.
For instance, you are allowed to consume a cocktail inside a bar or have a
glass of wine in a restaurant. In addition to this, there are many outdoor
locations in warm places like Miami Beach that have been especially set up in
order to comply with the needs of clients that desire to take a drink on
sidewalks and cafes. As opposed to other counties in the state of Florida that
are prohibited from selling alcohol between the hours of 3 a.m. and 7a.m.,
Miami-Dade County gives liquor stores the possibility of operating at all
hours. This is just one of the reasons for which the number of tourists that
come to Florida increases each year. However, the world was surprised to find
out that the Miami Beach mayor, Philip Levine, gave his consent to the passing
of a new bill that prohibits both the sale and the consumption of alcohol in
areas such as patios, sidewalks, cafes and many bars between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
The proposal passed from the first reading and the area targeted is Ocean Drive.
The main argument is support of this ban is represented by the mayor’s belief
that Ocean Drive has developed in recent years into an alarming place owing to
the fact that all the night life is concentrated in this spot. By this he
referred mainly to the fact that more police resources are needed in order to
safeguard the citizens.
Furthermore, city hall has received numerous
complaints regarding the behavior of those who consume alcohol in the sense
that they have come to disturb the citizens. Even the studies that have been recently
carried indicate that the crime rate is significantly increased in Miami as
compared to other cities. On the other hand, there are those who do not fully
agree with the imposed ban arguing that the nightlife attracts tourists which
is the equivalent of creating job opportunities and giving small business the
chance to make some profit. To conclude, while many totally agree with the
decision taken by the mayor, others believe that the presence of the police and
the impossibility to serve alcohol outdoor will have a significant impact on
the local economy.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Tampa Says Yes to Alcohol on Sunday
Lately, there
have been plenty of discussions regarding the consumption of alcohol. It is no
secret to anyone that Hillsborough County as well as other counties have been
facing real difficulties, as the number of deaths because of drunk driving has
certainly increased. As it is normal, this issue has raised real concerns about
the adequate consumption of alcohol, making the city commission consider
several rules of conduct and not only, in the hope of reducing the number and
bringing security to the community. Apparently, the discussion was held around
the topic of purchasing alcohol during specific hours. It seems that the local committee
believes that selling alcohol on Sundays should not be permitted. As expected,
this has led to a significant amount of dissatisfaction coming from the public.
One has to see matters for exactly what they are. Alcohol is a business, a fast
developing, and successful business. There are about 2,850 establishments,
owning licenses and selling alcohol beverages in Tampa. By limiting the hours
in which these establishments may sell alcohol beverages, the level of profit
will certainly have to suffer.
However, it
seems that this is the solution that the committee found appropriate to adequately
solve the problem of drunk driving. Thus, taking a vote on this matter is of
course the democratic manner of handling a rather disruptive and problematic
issue. Even though everyone was sure of the result of the meeting, it of course
was required to take place. Apparently, what was a sure thing did not resist
and instead, the large public heard the news that selling alcohol would be
permitted just before noon, between the hours of 1 pm until 11am, during
Sundays. The vote was 4-3 and the commission finally said yes to a more relaxed
policy, which in time will certainly have the expected results regarding drunk
driving. The audience was stunned and it is only fair, given the fact that not
too long ago, alcohol raids were held in Tampa. Raids that led to serious
convictions for some parties. Also, discussions meant to draw attention on
drunk driving were getting more and more popular, once again trying to send out
an alarm signal.
Hours before the
vote, the feeling was that bars, nightclubs, cafes would be losing a lot of
money once the tough provisions are accepted. The decision to loosen things a
bit was quickly explained by the Sheriff’s Department. It seems that numbers
are looking better and the anti drunk driving campaign has had better results
than anyone thought. The Sheriff believes that relaxing things a bit now, as a
reward for a good behavior, if you will, is the right attitude, helping things
to develop properly on the long term. Only time will tell whether or not
loosening things a bit was in fact the right attitude. Hopefully, statistics
were right and drunk driving is a topic that will soon be corrected.
Monday, May 25, 2015
2015 starts with changes in the Liquor Legislature
LiquorLicenseFL.com
239-205-4770
If you are operating on the bar and restaurant field, then you know very well that you are permitted to sell alcohol on the premises of your establishment only if you own a liquor license in Florida, as well as in other states across the USA. For this particular reason, you should be well aware of all the changes that could appear in legislature, as this is always changing. It just so happens that certain modifications have appeared last year, changes that have stared early in 2015. Last year, in November the bill passed Parliament, introducing new controls and measures, which aim to increase efficiency and reduce costs at the same time. There are some controls that refer to the alcohol intoxication of course in public and most importantly licensed locations. So, here are a few changes you should expect throughout the current year.
Everyone knows that when legislatures are changed, it takes a while before these modifications are actually noticeable. Thus, even though the date is set and the changes in liquor licenses in Florida and across the country have commenced on 1st March, 2015, it will take some time before all entrepreneurs will get accustomed with the modifications. Just to mention a few reforms you should expect this year, you might be interested in finding out that fundraising events are no longer required to obtain a liquor license. Apparently, if the non-profit organization does not host more than 6 events each year, then it is not required to file for a liquor license in Florida or anywhere else for that matter. This change intends to raise the level of interest regarding such events and to increase the level of efficiency. Furthermore, a provision that seems to have startled up a few discussions is regarding the licenses gained by distillers and brewers. Apparently, these have been provided with the right of selling products in festivals, not to mention that the conditions of obtaining licenses have been lessened. Of course that a change of this kind could not have passed unnoticed by bar and restaurants owners, who quickly reacted, clearly stating their disapproval. Their motivation was that this reform created unfair competition and problems within the business environment.
Moreover, violence is now taxed. Apparently, due to the modifications that have taken place, a bar can be taxed, when proven that violent acts occur after midnight, violence that is caused by alcohol. Several other changes of this kind have occurred. Some have already been implemented, whereas others are on the verge of being enforced. Although in essence they serve a correct goal, which is increasing the level of profit and efficiency, not all entrepreneurs necessarily believe in these reforms, nor find them helpful. It is true that bar and restaurant owners are not particular advantaged by these modifications, which is most likely the reason for which discussions and various complaints have started to appear. However, no results sustaining the efficiency of these changes will appear until the implementation process has reached its end.
LiquorLicenseFL.com
239-205-4770
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