Gainesville businesses and shoppers could get their first sip of Sunday alcohol sales on Dec. 11, pending a final vote from Gainesville City Council.

The City Council gave its approval Tuesday morning to a proposed ordinance change regarding Sunday sales, after 69 percent of Gainesville voters said "yes" to the switch in the Nov. 8 election.

The city ordinance change, which is required before Sunday sales can go into effect, will have to clear a final vote from the City Council on Dec. 6 — one that is expected to be a mere formality.

After its first reading Tuesday, the council voted 4-1 to set up its final approval. Councilman George Wangemann, who has consistently opposed Sunday sales, dissented.

"I'm going to personally vote no on the issue, to represent the 31 percent of the people who voted against (alcohol sales) on the referendum," Wangemann said Tuesday.

Though he anticipates the second vote will pass and Sunday sales are inevitable, Wangemann said he still plans to vote against the change again at the Dec. 6 meeting.

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; distilled spirits, or liquor, cannot be served until 8 a.m.

The new ordinance also clarifies existing restrictions. The sale of liquor on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day will be banned. So will liquor within 250 feet of any polling place on primary or election days. The clarified language also mirrors state law.

The new ordinance will not add red tape for businesses that already hold licenses to sell alcohol, said City Manager Kip Padgett. Their current licenses will include Sundays.

"We're just basically adding an extra day that they could sell," Padgett said.

There will be no changes to current alcohol-related ordinances for restaurants that serve alcohol.

Flowery Branch and Oakwood voters also approved Sunday alcohol sales on Nov. 8.

Package sales are set to start this Sunday in Flowery Branch, beginning at 12:30 p.m. and ending at 11:30 p.m.

Oakwood City Council will consider an ordinance and set an effective date at its Dec. 12 meeting, City Manager Stan Brown said Tuesday.