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In November, Stanford residents voted to allow the sale of alcohol within city limits, and now, the City Council is charged with drafting an ordinance to regulate those sales.

City Attorney John Hackley said he has been “repurposing” the city of Danville’s alcohol ordinance for the City of Stanford.

“We felt like it was probably the most inclusive ordinance that we have found,” Hackley said last Thursday night during the council’s monthly meeting.

Hackley said the only change he sees necessary is to have anyone who is cited in violation of the ordinance appear for a hearing before the city’s Code Enforcement Board.

“Our time is limited on what we can and cannot do,” said Stanford Mayor Dalton Miller.

Alcohol sales are officially legal in Stanford 60 days following the passage of the sales.

“Technically we turn wet… 60 days after the vote. That puts us right at January 2, so we are in a bit of a crunch of time. We have to have two readings of the alcohol ordinance,” Hackley said.

Due to the length of the ordinance, Hackley said he will prepare a summary to present to the City Council.

“One of the things that Dalton pointed out when he got this, we’re going to bring in an awful lot of money just off licenses,” Hackley added. “In 2010, when Danville passed this there were 18 designations of different license fees, well now they’ve got 32.”

Hackley also said the city will have to designate an ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) individual.

“I did talk with Chris Johnson at the Kentucky League of Cities and he reminded me that can be combined with another position; a police officer, etc. can fill that,” he said.

Miller discussed the proposed taxes on alcohol sales in the ordinance.

“Five percent is alcohol by the drink; four percent is distilled spirits and wine; and three percent is malt beverage,” Miller said.

Those were the rates the City of Danville set beginning in 2010, Hackley said.

“The way I read the law, we’re going to check the law, is that Hackley’s legal fees can come at a later date for his work on this through the regulatory fee on the sale of alcohol,” Miller said. “Instead of it coming out of the general fund, it will actually come out of the regulatory fee.”

Hackley said it is the longest ordinance the city has ever passed and he plans to have an ordinance ready for first reading some time this week.

The city council will then schedule a special-called meeting.