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Earlier this year, a dispute between a local private school and a local business exposed the shortfalls of High Springs’s alcohol ordinance. In some aspects, the law is clear and precise, but in others it is vague and leaves much open to interpretation.

Now, the city commission is discussing options for clarifying its ordinance, and perhaps even making it more lenient.

The recent problem arose from the law’s ambiguity regarding where exactly on school property the 600-foot-line is drawn to determine the minimum allowed distance for alcohol to be sold.

In contrast, in the portion of the law addressing churches, the ordinance calls for only 500 feet, but it clearly states that the distance should be measured from the front door of the church to the front door of the store or restaurant in which alcohol is being sold.

During a city workshop Tuesday night, four of the five commissioners agreed that the ordinance should be changed to state that the front door-to-front door rule also applies to schools. Commissioner Dean Davis was in dissent with the opinion that the ordinance should not be changed at all.

No action was taken however, because any change would have to be done by voting on a new ordinance, which calls for specific city procedures involving public notification and an official hearing on the issue.

But Tuesday’s discussion also touched on the idea, brought forth by Commissioner Sue Weller, to reduce the minimum distance for alcohol sales from a school to 500 feet rather than 600. Mayor Larry Travis expressed an interest in pursuing the suggested change, but again no official action could be taken at that time.