A liquor store on every corner? Not in Port Wentworth as city enacts limits in alcohol laws

Port Wentworth residents often bemoan the city's dearth of commercial businesses, from restaurants to medical offices.

One enterprise is in ample supply, however, and city officials are moving to limit their numbers.

Port Wentworth City Council recently capped the number of liquor stores allowed within the city limits with an updated alcohol ordinance. Five liquor stores currently operate in the city, all concentrated on the northern side along major travel corridors. With a population of about 13,000 residents, Port Wentworth should have, at most, three package stores, according to the rewritten ordinance.

The updated law is part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life for residents. Most of the ordinance rewrite involved updating language to match state law changes, particularly those enacted in the last few years to keep businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read: Port Wentworth's alcohol ordinance changes

Existing businesses will continue to operate as the new ordinance won't retroactively enforce the limit, said City Manager Steve Davis. Restaurants or bars serving distilled spirits do not count towards the cap either as they operate under a different license.

According to Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Barbee, there are a total of 23 places in the city that sells alcohol in some capacity and that is "enough for the population we have."

The city currently does not have any tasting rooms, breweries or lounges, according to Davis.

Setting a limit on the number of liquor stores is, first and foremost, a public health and public safety issue, said Davis. But there’s also an aesthetic aspect to the issue as well.

“We’re trying to find a happy medium for what we felt like was appropriate here,” said Davis. “You want to make sure you’re not overwhelming the city with one business over another. You don’t want a liquor store or pawn shop on every corner.”

The new law states that the city should generally have two package stores. Any additional licenses for liquor stores will be issued every 5,000-person increase in the population after 10,000.

Under that rule, if the five package stores in Port Wentworth continue to run, that means the city will not be able to issue another license until the population exceeds more than 25,000 residents.

Meanwhile, across the county line, Effingham County is welcoming its first batch of liquor stores after voters approved the sale of packaged liquor in April. Georgia law allows any local jurisdiction to prohibit the sale of liquor.

In 1993, when Effingham County was still a dry county, the late Randall Windburn set up his liquor shop just south of the dividing line in Port Wentworth.

"There was no beer or wine restaurants at the time. That's why he put the liquor store on the county line," said Billy Groves, Windburn's nephew, who now runs the store with his mother. "When he opened this place there was almost nothing here."

That's no longer the case in Port Wentworth, which experienced a development boom that spiraled into uncontrolled growth in the last two decades.

More: Port Wentworth city planning woes: must redo ordinance, revisit comprehensive plan

After years of political turmoil and planning woes, Port Wentworth officials want people to see the city's growth potential rather than its troubles. In the last year, the city enacted an industrial rezoning moratorium, which paused approval of industrial developments in the already warehouse-heavy city. During that time, outside auditors assessed the city’s zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan and determined both needed major overhauls.

The council is set to adopt a new version of the zoning ordinance – the set of local laws that govern development and land use in the city – later in June

More: Auditors: Port Wentworth’s comprehensive plan is 'vague' and 'contains no real vision'

After the zoning ordinance is adopted, Davis said the city is planning to hire an outside firm to revamp their 2021-41 comprehensive plan – the larger blueprint that guides the overall vision and aesthetics of the city – which auditors blasted in 2022 for being “vague” and “inconsistent”.

City officials believe that redoing these larger guidelines will help set up better urban planning practices for the future. For decades, poor planning has led to a shortage of family-oriented commercial and retail businesses and health-related services. Attracting those businesses now is crucial for making Port Wentworth a better place to “work, live and play," said Davis, especially as commercially zoned areas in the city are limited.

In April, Port Wentworth welcomed its first medical facility that will provide primary and urgent care to the community. The Interstate Health clinic, located on the corner of Grange Road and Georgia 21 on the Port Fuel Center property, will focus their services for commercial truck drivers.

More: 'Something besides fast food'? Port Wentworth takes steps to attract more businesses

Last year, the city council approved a contract with commercial development consultant, Nextsite, which provides market analysis for cities and connects the appropriate commercial resources that they identify throughout markets across the U.S.

Nextsite consultants, in addition to the city’s new economic development director, will aid in future development as well.

“We’re trying to take the city in a new direction and not let it be led by outside entities,” said Davis. “We’re trying to work on code enforcement and different things to make it more attractive to other businesses and residents.”

Nancy Guan is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities. Reach her at nguan@gannett.com or on Twitter @nancyguann.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Port Wentworth alcohol ordinance changes call for less liquor stores