Gainesville City Council meeting
What: Final vote on Sunday alcohol sales, which is expected to be merely a formality, with Sunday package sales in the city taking effect this Sunday
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Municipal Courtroom, Public Safety Complex, 701 Queen City Parkway, Gainesville
Gainesville City Council will take its final vote today to approve Sunday alcohol sales.
The vote is expected to be a mere formality to pave the way for sales to begin this Sunday.
This will be the second required vote by the council to amend the city's alcoholic beverage ordinance after 69 percent of Gainesville voters said "yes" to the switch in the Nov. 8 election.
The new ordinance will allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages from 12:30 to 11:30 p.m. Sundays. Sales of beer and wine currently are allowed from 7 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The first vote passed 4-1, with council member George Wangemann dissenting, on Nov. 16.
Wangemann, who said he voted "no" to represent the 31 percent of voters who disapproved of the change, indicated he would likely vote against the ordinance change again today. Still, he said, he expected Sunday sales to be inevitable.
Flowery Branch Sunday sales went into effect Nov. 20 after voters there approved the change. Oakwood City Council is slated to discuss on Dec. 12 its start date for Sunday sales.
On March 6, Hall County voters will decide whether to allow Sundays sales. Hall voters will consider four questions in all: Sunday alcohol package sales of beer and wine, Sunday alcohol package sales of liquor, liquor-by-the drink on Sundays and allowing packaged sales of liquor.