Applicants for ABC licenses in the county must now complete most application requirements before submitting their information to the county commission.

County commissioners passed new procedures for granting approval of liquor and alcohol sales licenses to retailers during last week’s commission meeting.

Key points of the new procedures include streamlining the process in a consistent manner, according to commissioners.

Applicants for ABC licenses from the Shelby County Commission must now complete a Shelby County ABC application form and pay all applicable fees.

The Department of Development Services will forward the application to other county agencies, such as the sheriff’s office, highway department and appropriate fire district for their review.

Applicants will also be directed to meet with these agencies. The fire district review is to ensure that applicants have fire alarms and other required devices installed in their property before approval of the ABC license.

Finally, the application will be introduced to the county commission.

The new procedure is intended to take up less of the commission’s meeting time. Until now, commissioners addressed countless requests for ABC licenses during by-monthly commission meetings, sometimes hearing from the same applicants numerous times to address minor details or requirements.

Often, applicants re-applied without properly meeting the requirements.

Commissioner Earl Cunningham applauded the new procedures during last Monday’s county commission meeting.

&uot;This is the way it should be,&uot; he said. &uot;We’re not operating in the dark. It’s transparent.&uot;

Commissioner Jimmy Bice said the new procedures are helpful because it brings the application report to county staff from each individual agency prior to submittal to the commission.

He said the process helps ensure consistency