On the evening of Thursday, October 26th, the Walker County Board of Commissioners met to discuss multiple rezoning requests involving changing zones. Most of the grievances brought before the Board involved citizens protesting Agricultural and Residential areas being used to build liquor stores. Most of their problems with liquor stores in residential areas were about the possibility of rising crime and the negative effect liquor and crime would have on local children.
One local woman came up to the board with crime statistics associated with liquor stores. “Liquor stores are magnets for crime,” she said to the board.
On the pro-liquor store side of the arguments were several local business owners, namely the Patels of a local corner store, who argued that liquor stores would be good for local business, and would attract people coming from Chattanooga, and people participating in races like The Iron Man.
The board was down a member, as Commissioner Askew was absent, so a unanimous vote to table the issue so that the board could do more research and more thoroughly consider the issue was passed.
