A longtime member of an Athens church doesn’t understand why the Athens City Council would consider granting an alcohol license to a convenience store located a short distance from the church’s sanctuary.

During a public hearing on the matter at Monday’s council meeting, council members heard Carnell Robinson’s concerns. He received few answers, however.

Robinson is a member of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of North Jefferson and Elm streets. Athens Food Mart No. 2, located at the northeast corner of North Jefferson and Elm streets, is seeking the license.

The store was recently rezoned from neighborhood business district to traditional business district. The new zoning means the business, which could not previously sell alcohol because of its close proximity to House of Hope Ministry and St. Luke’s, is now eligible for an off-premises alcohol license.

Stores in the neighborhood business district must be 500 feet from a church. The Exxon convenience store across the street was granted an off-premises alcohol license because it is in a traditional business district zoning, which stipulates a business selling alcohol has to be 50 feet from a church.

Robinson said when the Exxon convenience store was approved for an alcohol license, St. Luke’s was told it was because there was a four-lane highway separating the store from the church. He asked why the city would consider approving an alcohol license for Athens Food Mart when there is no four-lane highway separating it from the church. Wales explained it was simply because the store had been rezoned.

“We’re still in the same place of worship,” Robinson said. “We’ll have people drinking beer and doing things we wished they wouldn’t do on church property. It doesn’t seem quite fair we’ve got two different places that sell liquor across from a place of worship.”

The council will vote on whether to grant the alcohol license at a future meeting.