Politics & Government

Planning Commission Votes Down Alcohol Ordinance

A proposed ordinance that would have strictly limited new establishments selling alcohol across the unincorporated county fell 4-1 at Monday night's Alameda County Planning Commission hearing.

The Alameda County Planning Commission on Monday night voted down  a proposed ordinance that would have strictly limited new businesses from selling alcohol across in unincorporated areas of the county .

The proposal, which surfaced in September of last year, would have effectively barred new restaurants, bars, supermarkets and convenience stores from commercial corridors across Ashland, Cherryland, Castro Valley and San Lorenzo, pushing them at least 750 feet from  "sensitive areas" like schools and churches, as well as any establishment already licensed to sell hooch.

Similar laws exist in neighboring cities, including San Leandro and Hayward.

Find out what's happening in Castro Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Supporters said booze plagues their communities. More than a dozen turned out to argue that intoxicant-peddling establishments have led to an increase in blight and crime, and to plead for more stringent regulations.

But opponents said the ordinance would bleed the area of much-needed investment, forcing potential  buyers to take their business elsewhere.

Find out what's happening in Castro Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Private sector applicants aren’t going to spend a bunch of time reading the fine print of an ordinance, " said Bill Lambert, the county's assistant director for economic development. "It’s basically, 'closed for business' in the unincorporated areas for restaurants, convenience stores and grocery stores. "

Speakers argued that the new law is needed to protect vulnerable areas like Cherryland, where liquor stores and convenience stores selling alcoholic beverages already outnumber other commercial concerns. 

"When Sunset and Cherryland parks came up, my family and I were happy we had a place for recreation," said Cherryland Elementary School PTA president Griselda Gallo, a member of the community's newly-formed Padres Unidos. "We were really disgusted at the fact that when we were there, there were many young people drinking alcohol. My family and I have had to stop going there because we feared for our safety."

The board insisted a new ordinance wouldn't push out existing liquor stores, merely stop new ones from opening—a job, many argued, the county does well under the existing statutes.

Out of eight applications for new businesses selling liquor that have gone before the county in the past five years, only two have been approved. One allowed an existing bar to expand its hours. The other, approved in 2010, made way for sports-bar Wing Port Bar and Grill to move into the former site of Ye Olde Pizza Joynte.

"The community members who see what's going on around liquor stores are outraged, and they feel this will fix it, or show that the county cares about them," said Commissioner Richard Rhodes. "I'm sorry I can't take the appropriate symbolic action, but I can't." 

Ultimately, the board said its decision came down to economics.

"Liquor generates a lot of money," Rhodes said. "It's crucial for restaurants to survive. A cluster of successful restaraunts—we drool over it—but it can't happen without alcohol."


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