Alcohol Moratoriums [View All]

[roody]

This is about Mendocino County Ca, where the sheriffs side with the mini-mart owners i.e. weapons sellers, drug and drug paraphanelia sellers, tobacco pushers, against school kids, parents, and teachers. The same thing may be happening in your neighborhood.

In 2005, the State of California established a five-year moratorium on Type
20 off-sale beer and wine licenses in Mendocino County, and many other
counties (Section 23817.7 B + P Code). The State did so because Mendocino
County exceeded one Type 20 retail outlet per 2,500 persons.

On June 14, 2006, Captain Kurt Smallcomb of the Sheriff's Office signed a
letter in order to allow an exemption from this moratorium for Mr. Ghulam
Ansari. Mr. Ansari is the owner of 1550 S. State Street. He can open a
SpeedEx Mini-mart, but refuses to do so without the liquor license. The
letter from Captain Smallcomb states, "The Sheriff's Office believes that
the request would meet the public convenience and necessity in the business
plans in possessing a Beer, Wine and Alcohol Beverage License."

In September 2007, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
denied the alcohol permit. They did so because the store is 336 feet from a
public school, public playground, and a non-profit youth facility. It is
also within 100 feet of sixteen homes and will interfere with their
residents' quiet enjoyment (Section 23789, Rule 61.4) The neighborhood
already has ample outlets for alcohol; that's the reason the moratorium was
put into place. Research shows that the more alcohol outlets there are in a
neighborhood, the higher the crime rate.

Mr. Ansari appealed the denial. There will be a public hearing on February
26 at 9:00 am at the Ukiah Conference Center to make a final decision. I
hope many people will attend. This is one alcohol permit that definitely
needs to be denied.