The High Springs City Commission directed its city attorney to draft and return with ballot language that would remove current restrictions on alcohol sales, specifically Sunday restrictions that keep businesses closed.  

The ballot language, if approved by the City Commission, would then head to voters at an upcoming election, potentially later this year. The motion passed 4-1 at Thursday’s regular meeting, with Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth in dissent.  

The motion provides a way to end a contentious issue in High Springs over the past couple of years. The issue drew involvement from the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners at a joint meeting in early June.  

At Thursday’s meeting, commissioners said supporters and opponents of Sunday alcohol sales have taken to social media in unbecoming ways that contradict the small town’s character.  

Commissioner Katherine Weitz said she has never had a personal problem with the High Springs Brewing Company, which has been at the center of the recent discussions. 

“The kind of vitriol that we’ve seen on social media, I’m not putting that out there,” Weitz said. “I certainly hope that I’ve never given that vibe to anybody.”   

Separate motions from Weitz and Commissioner Chad Howell both failed when no one seconded the motions for a vote.  

Weitz’s motion was to support the petition currently being signed by community members, place it on the ballot if it gains enough signatures and keep the special permit option open for the brewery that allows Sunday events.

Howell’s motion asked the attorney to prepare an amendment to the city’s alcohol ordinance that would allow businesses who manufacture their own product to sell alcohol on Sundays, trying to keep bars closed but allow breweries to operate.

After the failed attempts, Mayor Tristan Grunder passed the gavel to Vice Mayor Andrew Miller in order to make his own motion, which Howell seconded. This motion asked the attorney to return with ballot language that mirrors the petition being circulated in the community. 

Just 14 months ago, Grunder proposed the same motion, aiming to place the alcohol question before voters at the November 2024 election. But his motion at the April 2024 meeting failed when no one seconded it.  

Grunder said Thursday that he didn’t understand why the commission hadn’t transferred the responsibility of the vote to the citizens instead of keeping up the issue through multiple changes in commissioners.   

“I’d love to kick this thing square out to the citizens and say what they vote on, what they decide on, is completely theirs and don’t blame me. Everybody voted. I had one vote,” Grunder said. 

Bloodsworth said he didn’t want the issue to go to the ballot. He said the outlying subdivision of High Springs would outweigh residents living in the core, older part of the city. He said the residents in the core have to live where the changes take place and may not want the more permissive alcohol rules.  

Weitz said the issue for her has never been drunkenness or behavioral issues. She said the police department has confirmed that it has had no such issues.  

City Manager Jeremy Marshall confirmed what Weitz said. After every special event that allows High Springs Brewing Company to open on Sundays, Marshall said he calls Police Chief Antoine Sheppard to see if there were any driving under the influence or disorderly conduct citations. Marshall said the police department has never reported an issue. 

Weitz said she thought the issue was settled after the April 2024 vote, which carved out an administrative exemption to allow the brewery to open on Sundays. The business would need to file a special use application that would get approved by either the city manager, if it was for a federal holiday or citywide event, or the City Commission for any other events.  

Weitz said the commission has only voted once on a special exception that received unanimous support. She said she doesn’t understand why the brewery doesn’t submit more of them.  

The special exception form allows multiple dates to be entered. Weitz said the brewery could include every Sunday from now to the end of the year, and the commission could allow it. She said, and the attorney confirmed, that the ordinance was written specifically to allow that sort of flexibility.  

However, Weitz said she doesn’t want to get rid of the ordinance altogether. She said a full repeal leaves the city with no protection in case circumstances change.  

When the ballot language returns in the coming weeks, the City Commission can amend the language and eventually vote to send it to the ballot. The commission discussed the ballot option at the joint meeting with the county in early June, but a split vote prevented any move forward.  

According to the High Springs Brewing Company Facebook page, the goal of the petition includes more than just allowing the brewery to open on Sundays. Restaurants could also serve alcohol right when they open instead of waiting until 1 p.m. Convenience and grocery stores could also sell alcohol whenever they open.  

The brewery said these changes would impact 15 businesses in the city.  

The city attorney said the commission is nearly at the deadline for the next ballot, but she said the commission should have time to vote on the draft ballot language and also amend the language if needed.