By Rebecca Gaunt

[A previous version of this article was published reporting on the 45-day suspension of license for the SuBourban Bar & Social Club. Since then, due to the sale of the property to a new owner, SuBourban will be able to continue to operate, and this new information has been incorporated into the revised article below]

Luke Howe, Kennesaw’s economic development director, presented an incentive application from the developers of the Main Street mixed-use development Lacey II that didn’t go over well with all the council members at Monday’s work session.

“This Friday my blood pressure shot up. Going into the zoning and all that stuff there was no mention anywhere about any types of incentives or anything in it,” said Councilman Pat Ferris.

Howe said he had advised developers to keep zoning matters separate from the incentives.

The application will be considered by the Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority on April 11.

Once approved by KDDA, it would issue abatement bonds which stand to save the developer $8.3 million in taxes. In lieu of the taxes, the developer would make annual payments of $25,000. They would also make additional payments to the Cobb County School District to account for any enrolled children ($13,526) in the multifamily development. KDDA will also receive a $70,000 annual administrative fee for 15 years, which Howe said would be invested into downtown.

“Typically we know about these things so that we can kind of look at it. I was barely in favor of approving this in the first place, and honestly, if I would have known that you were gonna throw $8 million worth of incentives at it…I don’t like it a bit,” Ferris said.

Howe explained that the site required environmental remediation for the gas station and the sheer cost of the land as the reason for the incentives.

“At that price it is only going to develop into apartments, it’s going to be density. It’s always going to need a shoehorn in the form of an incentive package,” he said.

Councilwoman Madelyn Orochena said she had a similar reaction to the notification about the incentive request.

However, Councilwoman Tracey Viars said she thought it was worth every penny the developers were asking.

“I can tell y’all this, if this project doesn’t happen, it will likely stay a tow yard and they can sell it to another tow yard,” she said.

As the gateway to downtown, Howe said this was a way for the city to have a say in the development and accompanying road improvements.

New owner for SuBourbon 

SuBourban Bar & Social Club, also known as SuBourban Rock and Oyster Bar, at 2718 Summer St. is under new ownership as of Friday. The owners of Pisano’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen, 2740 Summer St., will own and continue operating the establishment under the same name.

Legal troubles landed the bar and its former owner in a probationary period that would have been followed by a 45-day suspension of its liquor license after the March 17 hearing before the License Review Board. Former licensee David Ulmer was told he must surrender the alcohol license at the end of the suspension and agree not to seek a new one for two years. Nor could he operate another business in the city with an alcohol license, according to the agreement reached with the city.

Due to the sale of the property, SuBourban will be able to continue to operate.

Ulmer also must appear in court to settle citations received on Oct. 29 and Dec. 26, 2024, and pay a diversion fee of $1,000 and $6,000 in restitution to the city.

In October, SuBourbon and Ulmer were cited for employee permit violations, nuisance conditions, providing free alcohol, impeding sidewalks, and indecent exposure. In December, the bar was cited for bartenders consuming alcohol while working, serving past 2 a.m., indecent exposure, and overserving patrons.