Council committees address TREX liquor-permit transfer to Thai restaurant; carryout transfer to bicycle shop noted

Athens City Council’s committees reviewed two liquor-permit transfers Tuesday: a TREX transfer to a Thai restaurant at 102 West Union Street and a carryout permit relocation involving a bakery and Bobcat Bicycle Shop.

Administration explained TREX rules and municipal eligibility, noting that under the Department of Commerce liquor-control rules a TREX applicant must show that at least 60% of revenue will remain food-based, not alcoholic sales. Mayor Patterson said the TREX tool is frequently used to support restaurants that otherwise cannot get a permit and that the city has used it to retain businesses.

Committee members pressed the applicant’s economic-impact numbers. The TREX application listed a property‑tax increase of $8,000; one committee member said county-auditor records show the three parcels involved generate about $2,800 in property tax, and questioned an incremental sales-tax projection of $36,000. That discrepancy prompted committee members to ask administration and clerk Walker to verify the figures before the item reaches full council.

A separate, carryout-only transfer was described for a wine operation moving from the Village Bakery to 4 West Stimson Avenue (Bobcat Bicycle Shop). Council members clarified that the transfer is for carryout only and that the bicycle shop will continue to operate in the back of the premises.

Public comment included affordability and economic‑development concerns. Aaron Thomas, a local resident, urged caution about adding new fees or taxes and said the proposed $2.50 monthly charge for a different item (streetlight utility) would burden low‑income households.

What happens next: The TREX transfer will be sent to the full council after staff verifies the fiscal calculations; the carryout transfer was presented without a hearing.