Some residents don’t want new gas station to sell alcohol in busy Atlanta corridor

ATLANTA — The owner of a new gas station says he has put some $2 million into his business and thinks it will be an asset to the Campbellton Road community.

But some neighbors are angry that it’s beer and wine he wants to put into it.

They want the city to deny his application for an alcohol license.

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Neighbors told Channel 2′s Tom Jones they counted 20 businesses with alcohol licenses on one stretch of Campbellton Road.

“We have enough places selling liquor on this very street,” Ginny Albert said.

She and others who live near the yet-to-open Shell gas station at 2775 Campbellton Road stood in front of it with signs expressing their opposition to the store getting an alcohol license.

They say there are too many businesses here that sell alcohol and it brings negative influences to the area.

“We’re just sick and tired of it. It’s not safe for the children. It’s not safe for the seniors. It’s not safe for anyone,” Sherry Williams said.

They want to know why even though there’s an ordinance prohibiting new alcohol licenses in what’s called the Campbellton Road Overlay, the city is still considering the owner’s application for one.

“Why is the overlay being violated?” Williams asked.

They also question whether the store is too close to another business that has an alcohol license.

That would violate a city ordinance.

“We believe we are zoned properly for that,” Lisa Morchower, an attorney for the gas station’s owner said.

She spoke during a license review hearing on the issue back in February.

Morchower told the board that the business meets all distance requirements and hasn’t violated any ordinances.

She said the owner has put some $2 million into the business and it will be somewhere safe for people to shop.

“There’s no liquor involved at this store,” she said. The store would only sell beer and wine.

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Neighbors say they have enough businesses that sell beer and wine already.

“They’re all within walking distance already. So we don’t need another negative element in our community,” Williams said.

The license review board decided to put the alcohol license application aside until the council can address the issues the neighbors brought up.

The neighbors plan to attend Monday’s city council meeting to ask the council why this business can apply for an alcohol license when there is an ordinance against it.

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