A new agreement could pave the way for a special permit for serving alcoholic beverages at a Forsyth County passive park.

At a recent work session, Forsyth County Commissioners voted 4-0, with District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills briefly absent from the meeting, to start the process for a future resolution for a special permit to serve alcoholic beverages at Eagle’s Beak Park in northwest Forsyth. The item was previously recommended by the county’s parks board. 

“Commissioner [Todd] Levent actually brought this to me after the Family Fun Day special event that we had at Fowler Park,” said Parks Director Jim Pryor. “I noticed some private organizations wanted to look at having similar events in our parks but being able to serve alcohol.”

Pryor said the only park property allowed to serve alcohol for private events currently is at the visitor center at Sawnee Mountain Preserve, though no permits have been given in the five years it has been allowed. The permit costs $1,000 — a fee the county may also examine.

Levent said serving alcohol could lead to many new types of events in the park. 

“Some of the charities asked. They’re just looking for different avenues [and] possible things to try to do,” he said. “They thought maybe if they had an art festival [or] music festival, that they would also want to mix up a beer festival with it for their charity fundraisers, and we don’t allow it.”

The county opted to only allow the potential permits at Eagle’s Beak since it is a passive park — a park more focused on walking trails and natural amenities — rather than an active park with ballfields, recreation centers and more children. 

Private groups will need a special event license to serve alcohol.

No action was taken at the meeting, and the matter will be considered at a future meeting.