Paulding Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to deny a request for a special event permit for the sale and consumption of alcohol at Veterans Park by the City of Dallas on August 7, 2015, for the event entitled “.38 Special Concert” in accordance with Section 6-91 of the Code of Ordinances.
Chairman Austin who voted in favor of the request opened the Boards discussion and noted that events in Marietta, Acworth and Kennesaw have allowed the sale of alcohol in a controlled environ. Park Director Michael Justis addressed the Board last week during their July 14 morning session regarding the agenda item.
Justis explained at that time that the item was before them as a special request that could be approved by county administrator. Currently, due to the recent exit of administrator Michael Jones, the item was brought to the Board of Commissioners, Justin said. The request could be approved according to current ordinance that allows for special requests, though the general policy in Paulding parks is to not allow alcoholic beverages.
Justis said that the current application includes the option to request approval under special event provisions, he said. “That’s why it’s in front of you now...depending on your actions and your wishes if you wanted to change or remove that we’d remove it from the application entirely or we’d bring it to you every time there is a request,” Justis told the Board.
Post 1 Commissioner Carmichael asked for examples of comparable events and also wanted to know if Justis knew any background on how the provision to the Paulding ordinance originated. Justis was uncertain as to its origin, but noted Marietta’s Glover park summer concert series, which allows alcohol sales from surrounding bars and restaurants during an event. And Chairman Austin referenced that Acworth Beach allows table sales of alcohol.
Commissioner Pownall noted that the Marietta example was somewhat different from the setting on the Watson Government complex. “We’ve actually built a Veteran’s park, right here, for our citizens, that is actually on this complex beside our court system and I’m not in favor of opening that door,” Pownall said. Pownall also expressed interest in the Board possibly revisiting the law at a later time. During the afternoon session Commissioner Pownall made the motion to deny the city’s request.