Hoover council allows alcoholic beverage sales at 10 a.m. on Sundays

The Hoover City Council on Monday night amended the city’s ordinance regarding alcoholic beverage sales to allow sales as early as 10 a.m. on Sundays.

Previously, sales or dispensing of alcoholic beverages could not occur until 11 a.m. on Sundays in private clubs and noon at places such as restaurants, hotels and meeting and event centers.

Councilman John Lyda, who led the effort to expand hours of alcoholic beverage sales, said the change was requested by owners of hotels and restaurants and convention hosts who have customers who want alcoholic beverages earlier in the morning.

This allows such businesses in Hoover to be competitive with businesses in other cities that offer earlier alcoholic beverage sales and gives the ones in Hoover an advantage over businesses in cities that don’t, Lyda said.

“I’m excited for our business community,” he said. “I often say that the best ideas come from your constituents and business owners, and this was one of those.”

Before the council could pass the ordinance, it had to get permission from the Legislature, and the Legislature approved such a bill in May.

Six members of the Hoover City Council voted in favor of the change. Councilman John Greene abstained from the vote, saying he had witnessed the negative impact that alcohol has had on many people’s lives.

Now, alcoholic beverages sales in businesses are prohibited only from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sundays and 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on other days. Consumption of alcohol in such businesses is restricted only from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sundays and 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. on other days.

In private clubs in Hoover, the dispensing of alcoholic beverages to members is allowed only from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. From Monday through Saturday, alcohol can be dispensed legally between 11 a.m. and 2 a.m. the following morning. However, no private club can have more than 50 percent of its gross sales from alcoholic beverage sales on Sundays.

POLICE MOTORCYCLE UNIT

Hoover city officials also on Monday night recognized the Hoover Police Department’s motorcycle unit for earning first place in a law enforcement motorcycle competition in Hendersonville, Tennessee, recently.

In addition to the team taking first place, Sgt. Brian Nelson won first place in the elite division and first overall, while Adam Dozier won first place in the expert division and sixth overall, and T.J. Denson won first place in the novice division and 10^th overall.

Nelson was named “Mr. Rodeo” for having the overall highest score, and Denson won the “last man standing” competition in which judges saw which officer could ride the longest without making a mistake, Chief Nick Derzis said.

“They really are experts in their field,” Derzis said of the three officers. “They do a heck of a job, and I’m proud to be associated with this group.”

Hoover’s motorcycle unit, riding out in the elements during hot and cold weather, does a great job with traffic control and, unfortunately, writes a lot of traffic tickets, he said.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business Monday night, the City Council:

• De-annexed 56 acres at 2249 Shelby County 93 so people buying the property could keep their children in the Shelby County school system. Councilmen Mike Shaw and Gene Smith voted against the de-annexation. Shaw said the de-annexation causes other property in the city to be non-contiguous and creates confusing city limit lines. Smith said it opens the door for other people to seek de-annexation. Councilman Casey Middlebrooks said he didn’t have a problem with it because the property is on the outskirts of the city. The current property owner, Eugene Linton, said the property has covenants that keep it from being subdivided or used for business purposes.
• Appointed the city’s purchasing director, Ben Powell, to replace Robert Yeager as city treasurer once Yeager retires, effective Oct. 1.
• Agreed to hire Eagle Asset Management, a subsidiary of Raymond James, as an investment advisor and Lincoln Financial, for group insurance services for life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and long-term disabilities.
• Declared properties at 2039 Arnold Road, 2874 Wisteria Drive, 6278 Black Creek Loop North and 2384 Chapel Road to be public nuisances due to high grass and/or weeds.
• Declared 14 voting locations for municipal elections: Hoover Park and Recreation Center, Hoover Public Library, Oakmont Presbyterian Church, Shades Crest Baptist Church, Bluff Park United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Finley Center, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Riverchase Church of Christ, Hoover Fire Station No. 7 in Inverness, Hoover Fire Station No. 8 in Greystone, Greystone Farms Clubhouse, Ross Bridge Welcome Center and Town Hall and Hoover City Hall.
• Set an Aug. 19 date to consider annexing 11.7 acres into the city as an addition to the Blackridge residential development.
• Set a public hearing and vote for Aug. 19 concerning a request to allow Alabama Power Co. to use a residence at 2177 Samuel Pass in the Reynolds Landing section of Ross Bridge as a demonstration home for emerging technologies in the housing industry.
• Set a public hearing and vote for Aug. 19 to consider a request to rezone property at 2807 Wisteria Drive from a community business district to a preferred commercial office district. There are plans to build a State Farm office there.