Fresno awards alcohol license, despite policy to decrease liquor stores. Here’s why
The Fresno City Council policy to reduce liquor stores in already saturated areas got its first test Thursday as the council approved a new license.
Fresno-based developer Beal Developments was awarded approval for a new liquor license for a new Johnny Quik at Barstow and Grantland avenues — an area at the city’s western edge of District 2.
The council approved the license with a 6-1 vote, despite it making the 12th liquor license in the census tract — double the amount that’s appropriate for the area, according to city staffers.
The license to sell beer and wine like most Johnny Quik stores comes less than a month after The Responsible Neighborhood Market Act was approved by the council in an effort to encourage grocery stores and discourage adding liquor stores to overly-saturated areas.
Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who did not support the market act, said the new development will help pay for infrastructure like a street light at the major intersection. He represents District 2, where the store will go up.
“This is definitely going to require as a condition of occupancy (for) that developer to build that street light, traffic signal and crosswalk,” Karbassi said. “That’s going to help a lot with the traffic that has been increasing in the area.
Karbassi, while making his motion to approve the store, added language that prohibits single-sales of alcohol, meaning when a store sells a single bottle of beer or small liquor bottles that hold just a few ounces.
Councilmember Luis Chavez said there were a half-dozen or so liquor stores already in the pipeline before the council adopted its new policy. Changing the rules midway on the developers has the potential to lead to a lawsuit, he said.
Fresno averages a liquor store for every 1,000 residents, much higher than the state average of one per 2,500 people, according to numbers from Fresno city staffers. In some ZIP codes in southwest Fresno, the ratio is as high as one liquor store per 500 residents.
A day care has been permitted within 500 feet of the new liquor store, but the day care’s representative did not object to the project, according to city staffers. Construction has not begun on the child care center.
Beal Developments President George Beal agreed to stop selling alcohol at midnight each day and not to begin selling again until 6 a.m. State law requires sales to end at 2 a.m. and allow them to re-open at 6 a.m.
Beal said he was open to providing a physical barrier if neighbors complain.
“We’re concerned about our neighbors. We don’t want to be a nuisance,” he said. “Whatever it takes for the neighbors that are east of, we’re willing to do.”
There was some dispute about whether the license was new or transferred from another location already within the census tract. Beal said he was moving the license after buying it from another license holder, but city staffers said the license was new to the tract.
The Fresno Police Department did not find the project to be considered in a high crime area, according to a letter from the department.
The only member of the council to vote against the new project was Councilmember Miguel Arias, who said increasing alcohol sales only deteriorates neighborhoods.
“I foresee in the future this location will be a public safety hazard challenge for the police department,” Arias said. “I don’t want to have to be up here authorizing additional police officers to respond to calls for service for a business we know has a propensity to generate more calls for service.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 2:42 PM.
