Distilled Spirits Ordinance Goes Into Effect In Trenton

By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor

The City of Trenton Board of Commissioners voted to approve the distilled spirits ordinance into effect during the commission’s meeting on Monday, May 9.

After many months’ worth of joint public hearings between the City Commissioners and the Planning Commission to discuss the conditions of the ordinance, and a final public hearing on May 2 regarding an amendment to the zoning ordinance, Trenton Mayor Alex Case said that the application process is ready to go.

Going forward, liquor stores can be established in the B-3 Business-General District and contingent upon approval in the B-R Business Residential District. There will be no limits to the number of stores.

“Any application that goes in and has BR, they will have to go to the Planning Commission for their approval. The conditions would be, are there houses with backyards, children. There might have to be some type of screen like bushes. You just don’t want to go into your backyard and look at something commercial like that,” Case said.

If the Planning Commission denies an application, it can be appealed.

“An application can be turned in at any time,” Case said. “There is no time limit on applications, but you have to take your time and follow all the steps. You have to make sure to bring everything that we request.”

Some of the details of the ordinance include: a $5,000 yearly license fee and a $250,000 inventory minimum. A business owner cannot own more than one liquor store.

The business must be 100 yards from any church, 200 yards from schools, 100 yards from alcohol treatment centers, and 500 yards from any other established business that sells distilled spirits.

Both the amended zoning ordinance, and the new distilled spirits ordinance can be viewed online at trentonga.gov.