2010 Georgia Code
TITLE 3 - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
CHAPTER 3 - REGULATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES GENERALLY
ARTICLE 2 - PROHIBITED ACTS
§ 3-3-21 - Sales of alcoholic beverages near churches, school buildings, or other sites

O.C.G.A. 3-3-21 (2010)
3-3-21. Sales of alcoholic beverages near churches, school buildings, or other sites


(a) (1) No person knowingly and intentionally may sell or offer to sell:

(A) Any distilled spirits in or within 100 yards of any church building or within 200 yards of any school building, educational building, school grounds, or college campus;

(B) Any wine or malt beverages within 100 yards of any school building, school grounds, or college campus. This subparagraph shall not apply at any location for which a license has been issued prior to July 1, 1981, nor to the renewal of such license. Nor shall this subparagraph apply at any location for which a new license is applied for if the sale of wine and beer was lawful at such location at any time during the 12 months immediately preceding such application;

(C) Any distilled spirits, wine, or malt beverages within 100 yards of an alcoholic treatment center owned and operated by this state or any county or municipal government therein. This paragraph shall not apply to any business having a license in effect on July 1, 1981.

(2) As used in this subsection, the term "school building" or "educational building" shall apply only to state, county, city, or church school buildings and to such buildings at such other schools in which are taught subjects commonly taught in the common schools and colleges of this state and which are public schools or private schools as defined in subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-690.

(b) Nothing contained in this Code section shall prohibit the licensing of the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages by:

(1) Hotels of 50 rooms or more which have been in continuous operation for a period of at least five years preceding July 1, 1981;

(2) Bona fide private clubs, owning their own homes, subject to licensing under Chapter 7 of this title; and

(3) Licensees for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises only who shall be subject to regulation as to distances from churches, schools, and colleges by counties and municipalities.

(c) For purposes of this Code section, distances shall be measured by the most direct route of travel on the ground.

(d) (1) In counties having a population of not less than 175,000 nor more than 195,000, according to the United States decennial census of 1970 or any future such census, the distances provided in subparagraph (a)(1)(A) of this Code section for separation of businesses licensed under this title from churches and schools shall be measured as follows:

(A) From the property line of the tract on which is located the business regulated under this title;

(B) To the property line of the tract on which is located the church, school ground, or college campus; and

(C) Along a straight line which describes the shortest distance between the two property lines.

(2) No license in effect on April 13, 1979, shall be revoked before its date of expiration by reason of the method of measurement set out in this subsection if the license was granted in reliance on another method of measurement. No application for a license or for a renewal shall be denied by reason of the method of measurement set out in this subsection if the application is for premises for which a license was granted prior to April 13, 1979, in reliance on another method of measurement.

(e) (1) As used in this subsection, the term "housing authority property" means any property containing 300 housing units or fewer owned or operated by a housing authority created by Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 8, the "Housing Authorities Law."

(2) No person knowingly and intentionally may sell any alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises within 100 yards of any housing authority property. This subsection shall not apply at any location for which a license has been issued prior to July 1, 2000, nor to the renewal of such license. Nor shall this subsection apply at any location for which a new license is applied for if the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises was lawful at such location at any time during the 12 months immediately preceding such application.