The city of Alpharetta is looking to reduce the amount of space required between businesses that sell alcohol and schools, churches, bus stops and libraries, in its downtown district.

At a workshop during Monday’s City Council meeting, city attorney Sam Thomas presented council with a consideration to change distance requirements from 300 feet to 50 feet.

As the city works to develop the downtown area, “We’re finding issues where the traditional distance requirements … just don’t work,” Thomas said.

According to Thomas, the change would make the area “more development-friendly” because the reduced distance requirements would allow more varied businesses to coexist in downtown.

The requirement change would also set up a waiver application procedure for circumstances where the 50-foot distance could not be met. Applicants would have to appear before City Council and have their business approved to sell alcohol.

A draft of the ordinance could be presented to council at the next regular council meeting.

The city will be alerting churches located downtown about the vote in advance.