HB47 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: James E. Buskey
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Community development districts, add'l types authorized, marina on lake and resort with public golf courses, included under certain conditions, Secs. 35-8B-1, 35-8B-2, 35-8B-3 am'd.
Summary: HB47 broadens Alabama’s community development districts by adding new district types with specific amenities and alcohol rules, and sets how they are formed and taxed.
What This Bill Does
The bill creates additional classes of community development districts with detailed size and facility requirements (golf, marinas, clubs, restaurants, lakes, and membership structures) and allows varying alcohol sales rules within those districts. It authorizes on-site alcohol sales for certain district types under club licensing, imposes distance restrictions from highways in some cases, and may permit seven-day sales in others; it also updates how alcohol rules interact with existing laws. It changes the formation process (51% ownership consent, articles of establishment, probate filing) and ties counties’ tax distributions and TVA offsets to alcohol revenue generated by these districts. It also includes provisions for districts formed before 2014 regarding municipalities and wet/dry status and outlines related fiscal arrangements.

Who It Affects
Property owners, developers, and residents within the new or existing community development districts, who must meet acreage, facility, and membership requirements and may participate in district governance and alcohol-related activities.
Counties, municipalities, and Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board licensees, who oversee licensing, collect and distribute taxes and license fees to districts, and regulate alcohol sales within the districts.

Key Provisions
Creates multiple new classes of community development districts with precise criteria for size (acres), amenities (golf, marina, clubhouse, restaurant, recreation), and membership requirements (initiation fees and paid memberships).
Allows alcohol sales within certain districts for on-premises consumption under club licenses; requires club to obtain consent from the district's board of control and be licensed by the ABC Board; defines who may purchase and consume (members and guests).
Imposes a 3,000-foot restriction on alcohol sales in some districts from the south right-of-way of highways adjacent to the district; some district types are exempt from certain existing alcohol restrictions (35-8B-3).
Outlines the process to establish a district (owner consent of at least 51%, metes-and-bounds boundaries, district layout, initial board members) and sets probate court filing and ongoing fees to fund the process.
Ensures counties participate in tax and license fee distributions for districts within their borders and offsets TVA payments with alcohol revenue when applicable.
Contains provisions for districts established before June 1, 2014 to become municipalities and be wet, affecting how alcohol sales are authorized there.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alcoholic Beverages