Priceville Town Council gave unanimous approval to an ordinance regulating the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages within the town limits at a regular meeting Monday night.

The ordinance will become effective Tues., Feb. 19, at which time businesses desiring a license to sell alcoholic beverages may apply for an application from the town clerk.

In a separate but related action, the council appointed a five-member Alcohol Review Committee (ARC). Its membership consists of Building Inspector Paul “Chip” Spicer, Assistant Police Chief Ron Deweese, Town Clerk Kelly Dean and citizens Ken Hebert and Tim Voss.

The committee will review all alcohol license applications, conduct background checks on individuals seeking licenses and make recommendations to the town council. While to council does not have to accept the ARC’s recommendation, it has indicated that such recommendations will pay a key role in the licensing process.

Mayor Melvin Duran said the license application is a work in progress but should be completed by the time the ordinance becomes effective.

“We could see a license application request on the agenda of our first meeting in March (second Monday) “, Duran said, “but that would depend on how long it stakes the ARC to process applications and comes to us with a recommendation.”

The ordinance has changed slightly since it was offered as a first draft several weeks ago

and subjected to a public hearing.

One of the changes was raising the distance from a business selling beer and wine to a church, school or day care from 250 to 300 ft. No out-of-store or inside window advertising of alcoholic beverages is permitted as well as single can sales for off-premises use.