Council OKs Measure Targeting Liquor Sales

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday tentatively approved by unanimous vote a zoning ordinance that would impose stricter conditions on liquor outlets trying to expand their operations.

The new law, which applies to both on- and off-site liquor sales, is intended to reduce alcohol-related crime and blight citywide, officials said.

“It is abundantly clear that this is one of the factors that contributes to the deterioration of the quality of life in Los Angeles,” said 8th District Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, the prime proponent of the motion, which is expected to pass during a second vote next week.

The new rules will require liquor retailers to seek conditional-use permits from the city--rather than more simple plan approvals--if they intend to increase their operations by 20% or more.

Plan approvals require owners to notify only those neighbors situated directly adjacent to their businesses and do not mandate public hearings. Conditional-use permits on the other hand require public hearings and also require owners to notify all neighbors within 500 feet of their establishments about their expansion plans, said Robert Janovici, the city’s chief zoning administrator.

“Practically speaking, this should not result in too many specific changes,” Janovici said. “What it does is take something that was formerly policy and writes it into the city code. It makes it law.”

Although it is the state’s responsibility to issue alcohol licenses, an applicant must receive city approval before the state will consider the request.

The new law would be applied throughout the city, except in parts of South-Central Los Angeles where, because of a high concentration of liquor stores, even tougher requirements will be enforced on off-site retailers attempting to expand.

“I wholeheartedly endorse this,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon, who represents the northeast Valley. He added that he would explore the possibility of toughening the standards in his district to match those in South-Central.

“It will give us an opportunity to clean up those stores that are irresponsible in their liquor sales.”