Although Fayetteville

voters have approved liquor by the drink, don't expect any restaurants

to be pouring in the next few weeks.

A more reasonable

estimate for the start of liquor sales would be February, after a new

ordinance is approved by the City Council governing the licensing and

sales of distilled spirits, according to city staff.

Knowing before

Tuesday's vote that the issue could become a reality, the City Council

already set aside time at next week's annual retreat at Callaway Gardens

to discuss the matter. The city attorney has already been working on a

possible ordinance, City Manager Joe Morton said Wednesday.

State law requires

a measure to be in place within 60 days after the election, so look for

public hearings to come sometime in December and final passage by early

January.

While some

restaurants undoubtedly are already aware of the poll results, no one

has contacted the city yet to inquire about a possible liquor license,

Morton said. No applications will be taken before an ordinance is passed,

because application guidelines will be a portion of that ordinance, he

added.

The liquor

ordinance will be similar in some respects to the city's current beer

and wine ordinance, which sets certain standards for establishments that

serve alcohol. For instance, a restaurant now operating with a beer and

wine license must have at least 50 percent of its revenue generated from

the sale of food prepared on-site.

The guidelines

for the liquor ordinance will likely be the same as for beer and wine,

Morton said, and the council could decide to make the food sales figure

higher than 50 percent.

While proponents

of the liquor referendum touted the need for more and better restaurants

as their primary motivation, existing establishments such as Applebee's

and Ruby Tuesday, which is set to open in early December, will likely

apply as well, city staff indicated.