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Record of Proceedings

Knoxville Beer Board Meeting Summary - March 20, 2026

City Council — Friday, March 20, 2026
BodyKnoxville, Tennessee
SessionCity Council
DateFriday, March 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 56:39

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:01

Hello, Knoxville.

0:03

This is your Knoxville Beer Board.

0:04

Today is Tuesday, March 17th, 2026.

0:08

Welcome everyone here and those watching from home.

0:10

If there is anybody watching from home.

0:13

Mr.

0:13

Johnson and Ms.

0:14

Hall.

0:15

Would you please call the roll?

0:16

Mr.

0:16

Johnson.

0:17

Councilman Adams.

0:18

Here.

0:19

Councilman Debartelman.

0:20

Here.

0:20

Vice Mayor Fugood.

0:22

Here.

0:22

Councilman Grant?

0:23

Here.

0:23

Councilman Helsley.

0:24

Here.

0:24

Councilman Honeycott?

0:26

Here.

0:26

Councilman Lloyd.

0:27

Here.

0:27

Councilman Parker.

0:29

And Councilman Thomas.

0:30

Eight members present, Chair.

0:33

Thank you.

0:34

The minutes of the last meeting were distributed by email.

0:36

Are there any corrections to the minutes?

0:40

No.

0:41

And they will stand approved as distributed.

0:44

Mr.

0:45

Johnson, do we have anyone signed up for public comments germinating to today's agenda?

0:50

No, Chair.

0:51

Thank you.

0:54

Seeing no one signed up.

0:56

Reports of officers.

0:58

I don't have one.

0:59

I still have training wheels on.

1:02

Officer Presley.

1:04

Back to you in a minute.

1:06

Yes, since the last beer board meeting, uh TABC has conducted four actually alcohol compliance checks here in the city that have uh beer permitted businesses in those.

1:19

Uh the first one was on February 26th.

1:23

Uh that one.

1:26

See the businesses that actually sold alcohol to a minor on that day was Palancho's Mexican.

1:32

Hilton Garden Inn, Knoxville, Chesapeake's, Kroger on Broadway, uh, the Marriott Knoxville downtown, Balter Beer Works, and Cumberland House, Knoxville.

1:46

Uh the next one was on March 3rd.

1:51

That day, the businesses that sold alcohol to a minor was Tokyo Sushi and Steakhouse and Aubrey's and Powell.

2:01

Uh there was one on March 11th.

2:05

Uh we had some sales on that day.

2:07

That was true by Hilton, Knoxville North, the Holiday Inn at Merchant Center Boulevard, and Zelante Taquiera.

2:16

And then the last one would have been on March 12th.

2:19

I believe there was only one sale on that day, and that was La Pinata Mexican restaurant.

2:26

Did we do anything with all that?

2:29

Mr.

2:30

Johnson.

2:32

Thank you, Chair.

2:34

Uh in front of your seats, council, you have a copy of uh the report uh from the the clerk.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Cannabis Regulation█████████████████████████████████████████████92%
Procedural██4%
Personnel Matters██4%
Summary of Proceedings

Knoxville Beer Board Meeting Summary - March 20, 2026

The Knoxville Beer Board met on March 20, 2026, with eight members present. The meeting covered routine approvals, reports on alcohol compliance checks and beer fund finances, new beer permit applications, an administrative hearing for Union Jacks (Flip Side Pub), and hearings on non-compliance with annual CAST class requirements. No public comments were received. Note: The transcript date states March 17, 2026, but the provided meeting date is March 20, 2026; this summary uses the latter as instructed.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as distributed without correction.

Reports of Officers

  • Officer Presley reported four TABC compliance checks: February 26 (sales to minors at Palancho's Mexican, Hilton Garden Inn, Chesapeake's, Kroger on Broadway, Marriott Knoxville Downtown, Balter Beer Works, Cumberland House); March 3 (Tokyo Sushi and Steakhouse, Aubrey's in Powell); March 11 (True by Hilton Knoxville North, Holiday Inn at Merchant Center Boulevard, Zelante Taquiera); March 12 (La Pinata Mexican restaurant).
  • Mr. Johnson reported the beer fund balance at $268,000, with fines received at $17,000 (169% of the $10,000 budget).

Postponements

  • Items 8C, 8D (Crafty Bastard Brewery), 8G (Petros), and 8H (Plugged In) were postponed to April 28, 2026, without objection.

New Permit Applications

  • Special Event Permits (approved): Dogwood Arts – Chalk Walk (April 11), Festival (April 24-26), and Knoxwell's Mural and Music Festival (May 30). All approved.
  • Beer Permits (approved): Evape Lounge, Happy Holler Project, Hayes and Historical Museum Foundation (Dusk and the Dogwoods event, July 4th on Mabries Hill), Casa Don Gallo (pending CO), Beard and Heel Field House (pending CO, health dept., surrender of existing permit), Southern Grid LLC (pending CO, health dept.), Iron Forge Brewing Company (pending CO, health dept.), Rosaritas Mexican Cantina, Sunrise Market (pending CAST class and CO), Volunteer Landing Marina, Yeehaw Brewing (four permits pending surrender of existing permits).
  • Extended Postponement: Pizza (Matt Ford) – postponed 120 days to July 2026.

Administrative Hearing – Union Jacks (Flip Side Pub)

  • The permittee (Aaron Nelson) had two underage sales in less than two years and failed to file a remedial plan or pay the fine by the deadline. He paid the fine and filed a plan the day before the meeting. The law department had already filed a non-compliance complaint for the late filing. The Beer Board took no further action on the underage sales, but the permittee will still face a hearing for the late compliance.

CAST Class Compliance Hearings

  • Quality Restaurant Concepts (Applebee's): Last attended CAST April 13, 2023. Representative Jared Hickson explained management turnover. Motion to send to hearing officer passed (vote not recorded by name, but ayes prevailed).
  • Dollar General (Sutherland Avenue): No representative present. Last attended July 20, 2023. Motion to send to hearing officer passed.
  • Dollar General (Amherst Road): No representative present. Last attended July 20, 2023. Motion to send to hearing officer passed.
  • Dollar General (South Rich Road): Representative Megan Inman cited turnover and lack of district manager support. Motion to postpone for one month to allow compliance passed (amended from original motion to send to hearing).
  • Dollar General (Strawberry Plains Pike): Representative Stacey Murray appeared, but the discussion was cut off in the transcript. No action is recorded.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved seven special event permits and numerous beer permits, many pending final documentation.
  • Postponed four permit applications to April 28.
  • Extended Pizza’s permit deadline by 120 days.
  • Took no further action on Union Jacks’ underage sale violations, but the non-compliance hearing will proceed.
  • Sent Applebee’s, Dollar General (Sutherland and Amherst) to hearing officers for CAST class non-compliance.
  • Postponed Dollar General (South Rich Road) for one month to allow compliance.
  • The CAST compliance process for several other businesses was not completed in the provided transcript.

Meeting Transcript

Hello, Knoxville. This is your Knoxville Beer Board. Today is Tuesday, March 17th, 2026. Welcome everyone here and those watching from home. If there is anybody watching from home. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Hall. Would you please call the roll? Mr. Johnson. Councilman Adams. Here. Councilman Debartelman. Here. Vice Mayor Fugood. Here. Councilman Grant? Here. Councilman Helsley. Here. Councilman Honeycott? Here. Councilman Lloyd. Here. Councilman Parker. And Councilman Thomas. Eight members present, Chair. Thank you. The minutes of the last meeting were distributed by email. Are there any corrections to the minutes? No. And they will stand approved as distributed. Mr. Johnson, do we have anyone signed up for public comments germinating to today's agenda? No, Chair. Thank you. Seeing no one signed up. Reports of officers. I don't have one. I still have training wheels on. Officer Presley. Back to you in a minute. Yes, since the last beer board meeting, uh TABC has conducted four actually alcohol compliance checks here in the city that have uh beer permitted businesses in those. Uh the first one was on February 26th. Uh that one. See the businesses that actually sold alcohol to a minor on that day was Palancho's Mexican. Hilton Garden Inn, Knoxville, Chesapeake's, Kroger on Broadway, uh, the Marriott Knoxville downtown, Balter Beer Works, and Cumberland House, Knoxville. Uh the next one was on March 3rd. That day, the businesses that sold alcohol to a minor was Tokyo Sushi and Steakhouse and Aubrey's and Powell.

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