Decatur City Hall.

The Decatur City Commission is considering changes to its alcohol laws that would allow grocery stores to sell liquor.

Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne, who oversees economic development for the city, told Decaturish the changes are intended to lure a “high-end market” to the city’s downtown. She did not name the potential tenant or the potential location.

Cook’s Warehouse did recently vacate its location in downtown Decatur, however.

[adsanity id=36760 align=aligncenter /]

Currently, liquor can only be sold in a liquor store. Under the proposed changes, it could be sold in stores – along with beer and wine – that have 50 percent or more of the floor space dedicated to the sale of food and food related items.

“Right now you currently you cannot sell liquor in the city limits of Decatur unless it is in a store totally dedicated to liquor,” Menne said. “We are working to change that to allow the sale of liquor, but really focus it on being a very small piece of a bigger operation.”

The changes will be on the agenda at the commission’s June 19 meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m.

In other business the commission is considering:

– Awarding a $150,000 contract to  jB+a/Barge, Waggoner, Sumner, and Cannon, Inc. (jB+a/BWSC) to provide master planning services for the Decatur Community Transportation Plan Update.

– Setting the millage rate at 13.49 mills. That’s less than the tentative rate of 13.77 mills commissioners adopted in May.

All City Commission meetings are open to the public and are held at City Hall located at 509 North McDonough Street.