A request for an off-premises beer permit for the new Dollar General in Irving College was denied by the Beer Board on Monday night.

At the county Safety Committee and Beer Board meeting, commissioners considered an off-premises beer permit for the Dollar General located at 25 Hills Creek Road. It’s the 14th Dollar General in Warren County.

It was decided the store does not meet the necessary requirements to be granted a beer permit.

“In their permit, they made note of Hebron Church of Christ which is 3,400 feet away which meets the rules, but they didn’t make note of Irving College Baptist Church, which is 1,950 feet away. Also the Irving College Elementary School is just 528 feet away,” said Commissioner Ron Lee.

County government guidelines require a distance of at least 2,000 feet from the business selling beer to a church or school. 

It is also stated that the business selling beer must be a minimum of 300 feet from the nearest residence, but only if the resident were to object. These rules have been in place for 80 years. 

“I didn’t realize it went back this far, but it was 1942 when this was adopted by the county. That was a long time ago, but the county still follows that rule,” said Lee. 

Lee made the motion to deny the off-premises beer permit. The motion passed unanimously. Christy Ross was absent. 

The idea of updating the county beer guidelines came up during the meeting. 

“We need to keep up with the times. Things are changing,” said Commissioner Gary Prater. “We don’t have to look at it tonight though.”

In McMinnville, city officials revised the distance requirements to sell beer in 2015, removing all distance requirements between churches, schools and places that sell beer in the Historic Downtown District only.

The measure was seen as key to helping restaurants on Main Street prosper because the number of churches downtown would restrict virtually every restaurant from selling beer if there was a distance requirement in place.

City officials voted 6-1 in June 2015 to remove any beer distance requirements downtown, meaning a restaurant can sell beer right next to a church.

For the rest of the city outside the historic district, there is a 300-foot distance requirement in place.