Palmetto approves new alcohol distance rule

PALMETTO - Soon, a beer with your slice of pizza may be a reality at Rico's.

On Tuesday, Natalino Smeralda plans to stop by the city's offices and apply for a liquor license, and this time it'll probably work out differently from last time he tried to get one for his pizza place.

On a 5-0 vote Monday night, the Palmetto City Commission approved setting a distance of 300 feet from the property line of a school or church as the minimum distance for a business that wants to sell alcohol. Previously, the minimum was 300 feet to the property line for a school but 300 feet to the front door for a church.

Even though it places all businesses on Eighth Avenue not in compliance in compliance, it could render other businesses selling alcoholic beverages out of compliance, said City Attorney Mark Barnebey.

Smeralda left the chambers after the vote.

"I'm relieved that it's over," he said. As for the license, "I applied for it before, and I'll apply for it tomorrow morning."

As for the process, Smeralda noted, "I think the zoning department should have handled it better than it did. It should have brought it to the council's attention a long time ago."