Despite not being required to by state law, the Canton City Council unanimously voted to hold a public hearing on its proposed extension of alcohol pouring hours until 2 a.m.
The public hearing is set for March 4 at 6 p.m. with the first reading of the modified ordinance following the hearing. A second reading and vote is expected at the March 18 meeting at 6 p.m. The meetings are at city hall, 151 Elizabeth St.
Ward I Councilman Bob Rush, who proposed the pouring hours extension from midnight to 2 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays, initially wanted the first reading to be held at the Feb. 18 meeting, where it was discussed. His initial motion was to hold the public hearing and second reading vote at a called meeting March 4.
Ward II Councilman Bill Bryan said he’d like to have time to look into the issue further and lobbied to hold off until the last March meeting for a vote.
“That gives us just two more weeks to gather any other opinion or factual information that we need,” he said. “I think there’s a lot to be studied.”
Ward II Councilman Jack Goodwin said he could not support the extended hours because of increased DUI arrests during the late night hours and calls he’s received from people in opposition, but he’s glad the city council has opted to move forward with a public hearing.
“I think the public hearing is the best way we could have gone. I hope we have a lot of turn-out, and people voice their concerns,” he said, adding statistics show that there are more DUI calls from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. “That’s without extended hours. No parent wants that call at 2 a.m. saying their son or daughter has been hit.”
Canton police statistics from 2008 and 2009 show higher rates of DUI arrests between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., as compared to daylight and early evening hours. In 2009, there were 38 DUI arrests, and, in 2008, there were 43 DUI arrests during those hours.
From 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. in 2009, there were 16 DUI arrests and, in 2008, there were 42 DUI arrests during those hours.
For both years, there were a total of 36 DUI arrests between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Lance said there are increases in DUI arrests during late night hours, but that could be because call volume is down and officers have more time to be out looking for DUIs. He also said where the person is coming from also has to be taken into account, and he can’t prove through the statistics that people driving under the influence are coming from Canton bars and restaurants.
Goodwin also said he doesn’t believe businesses have chosen not to open in Canton due to the pouring hours, and he thinks Canton’s current pouring hours are just fine.
“I’m for bringing in all the restaurants we can …. We know of no companies who have called or applied asking for extending pouring hours,” he said. “This community is different than Marietta and Atlanta, and I think that’s what the citizens want.”
Rush said he believes, as evidenced through conversations he’s had with the city’s permitting office, that businesses haven’t called back after finding out about the midnight last call.
Extending the pouring hours is something Rush talked about doing during his campaign. He said he spoke with local restaurants and bars—many of which said they would be in favor of extended hours to bring in more business. Rush also said he spoke with employees, who work late shifts, and they all said they go to places like Woodstock or Marietta to hang out after work. Rush said he believes that business could stay in Canton with the extended hours.
