Lake Charles City Council members on Wednesday amended the city code provision that allows the city to waive the distance requirement for alcohol sales near churches, synagogues, libraries and schools.
The city requires that the sale of high-content alcoholic beverages — drinks with over 6 percent alcohol — be at least 300 feet from protected areas. But the city’s Alcohol Review Board has in the past had the ability to waive the distance up to 20 feet.
The new amendment gives the board the power to waive the distance up to 60 feet, meaning a restaurant that is 240 feet from protected areas could sell alcohol if approved. The board’s decision can be appealed to the council by a business owner or a council member.
Changing the code to give the board this ability was necessary to make an allowance for the Italian Villa restaurant, which is 265 feet from the Carnegie Memorial Library. The board recently denied a request by Italian Villa to sell high-content alcohol for on-premises consumption because of how close it was to the library.
After changing the code, council members voted to overrule the board’s decision and allow Italian Villa to sell high-content alcohol. Both ordinances needed five votes to pass. Five council members voted for, and two voted against in each instance.
Local processing agent Burt Parham asked the council to consider that the restaurant is near other restaurants that are allowed to sell alcohol after barely making the distance requirement. He said Italian Villa should be allowed to compete with those restaurants.
“We’re just asking for a little hometown justice,” Parham said.
Calcasieu Parish Public Library Director Margorie Harrison told council members the library board hadn’t yet discussed the issue, but that she didn’t have any concerns.
Councilwoman Luvertha August said her district has had problems with alcohol sales. She in turn objected to giving the city the power to allow alcohol to be sold closer and closer to protected areas.
Italian Villa owner Mike Sperandeo told August that his restaurant wouldn’t be a bar and wouldn’t host events that promote the sale of alcohol beyond its coupling with lunch and dinner.
Councilwoman Mary Morris echoed August’s concerns, saying she also objected to giving the city more power to waive distance requirements because of issues in her district.
Councilman Dana Jackson said he would vote to approve the plan because he trusted the city to handle it on a case-by-case basis. “I have no problem doing this,” Jackson said.
August said she wasn’t “anti-business” but was still “having big problems” with the ordinances. She said she didn’t want to chance showing favoritism or getting backlash from those who weren’t approved.
Both August and Morris voted against the ordinances.
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