Terrell Mill Restaurant Wins Alcohol License Appeal

Owners of a planned Brazilian-style restaurant on Terrell Mill Road were granted alcohol licenses by the Cobb Board of Commissioners last week.

But they came with some very tough, and uncommon, terms. 

Both Sugarcane Group, LLC, and Andy Porter, the owner of the Terrell Mill Junction Shopping Center, had to agree to requirements that they provide late-night private security and prevent loitering at a retail center that has been the subject of numerous community complaints in the past.


Cobb commissioners upheld the Cobb License Review Board's recommendation approving liquor, beer, wine and Sunday pouring licenses for the Sugarcane restaurant.

Terrell Mill Junction is located a block away from Powers Ferry Road and is adjacent to the revitalized Terrell Mill Village Shopping Center.

The stipulations require Sugarcane or Andy Porter, the Junction's owner, to provide private security when the restaurant is open late. Its proposed closing time Thursday through Saturday is 1 a.m.; from Sunday-Wednesday the closing time would be at 11 p.m.

No outdoor seating will be allowed at the restaurant, at least two security cameras must be installed that face the parking lot, and Sugarcane and/or Porter must meet with Cobb Police on a quarterly basis.

In addition, signs must be posted with information "for anyone in the community or the police to contact a representative of the management company" with complaints or concerns. 

District 2 Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott -- who represents the Terrell Mill area -- admitted that the "conditions are not common. Since there have been issues in the past at this location I thought it prudent to try to put conditions in place to help prevent this from happening again."

Sugarcane has been planning to move into the same space as La Pantera Rosa Sports Bar and Grill, which lost its liquor license in 2009 and closed after repeated complaints by residents at the Wynne's Ridge Condominiums, located less than 200 feet away.

During a lengthy hearing at last Tuesday's commission meeting, Porter said the vacant space has been remodeled back for a more traditional restaurant.

"We have spent the last four years looking for the best tenant," said Porter, adding that he has turned down pool halls and similar businesses for the space sought by Sugarcane. 

But Porter was questioned by Ott about why he wasn't more responsive to residential complaints about late-night problems at La Pantera Rosa, including public drunkenness in the parking lot, that prompted several responses by police.

"How are folks in the community expected to get in the touch during the hours when only the liquor store [Oscar's] is open?" asked Ott.

Porter was apologetic and said he would have his company after-hours voicemail direct messages to his mobile number.

The original application by Sugarcane Group, LLC, was denied in April by the Cobb Business License Division, which indicated that the initial proposal's floor plan, menu, hours and food-to-alcohol sales breakdown "are not indicative of a restaurant."

Even after Sugarcane worked out those matters -- including having at least 55 percent of its sales coming from food -- Ott was still opposed, citing community concerns, and asked for the hearing.

The Sugarcane case was the second alcohol license-related matter in as many days from the Powers Ferry Road area to come before the commissioners. 

Also last week, Premier Wine and Spirits withdrew its request for a license at the Delk Spectrum Shopping Center after nearby residents complained it would be the fourth package store within a two-mile area.