Warner Robins extends moratorium on vape, liquor stores
The Warner Robins city council voted to extend the moratorium on new liquor stores, vape shops, CBD, and tobacco-focused businesses for an additional 120 days
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –Warner Robins City Council voted to extend the moratorium on new liquor stores, vape shops, CBD, and tobacco-focused businesses for an additional 120 days. 41nbc spoke with Warner Robin’s Mayor Larhonda Patrick on this extension.
“Council just approved an extension on our moratorium, just to give us more time to have a suitable policy here in the city of Warner Robins; as far as how were going to manage new businesses that fit into those categories coming into our city,” said Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick.
She says the most important reason for the extension of the moratorium, is the youth.
“We need to also make sure we are looking at how close these establishments are to our schools; that’s state law. How close they are to entertainment centers that may involve youth and were keeping the youth in mind. At the end of the day when it comes to this, we don’t want to be a city that has these types of establishments on every corner,” said Mayor Patrick.
The Mayor says she welcomes any new business, but doesn’t want to see too many of the same type of stores.
“We don’t want to be in a situation where individuals that have dreams of owning a store in an area that doesn’t have any liquor stores; for example, in a large area, cannot have it now. We would rather see these stores spread out, more than all in one area,” she said.
According to Mayor Patrick, everyone seems to be on the same page and community feedback has been positive
“They were not angry with us; they just told us to keep them posted; and they’ll be one of the ones that we go and say hey, we have an option for the city of warner robins, let’s sit down and have a conversation about it, let us know how you feel, because at the end of the day these businesses are a part of our community too,” said Mayor Patrick.
