St. Charles may allow some liquor sales near churches and schools

A pending change in St. Charles' local laws will allow liquor sales closer to schools and churches. That's a change some aldermen said isn't worth cleaning up ambiguity in the city's current rules.

St. Charles bans alcohol sales within 100 feet of certain establishments, like schools. But a recent change in state liquor laws allows such transactions as long as the primary purpose of the business is something other than alcohol sales. In other words, taverns and liquor stores still can't open up shop that close. But hotels, restaurants and certain stores would be appropriate new neighbors. The city, as a home rule community, can have more restrictive rules. But police Chief James Keegan said taking a harder line is a headache for his staff.

"It's been very difficult to interpret," Keegan said. "We've had to go out and do some measurements. But where do you measure from? Is it the real property line? Is it business to business? Often people will point to other locations and question why they are in business, but they can't be."

One case in point is the Home Brew Shop on Third Street. The business sells products for fans of brewing beer at home. But it also wants to dedicate part of the building to a tasting room. But the steeple of the nearby Methodist church is visible from the front steps of the shop. So is property occupied by the Lazarus House homeless shelter.

That's too close for Alderman Rita Payleitner.

"I don't have an issue with the buffer between our churches and our alcohol establishments," she said. "And my concern is once we change, we can't go back. The horse is out of the barn."

Alderman Ron Silkaitis, who also sits on the city's liquor commission, and Alderman Maureen Lewis agreed. They said there is no clear need to loosen the city's standards for alcohol sales on this matter.

But the majority of aldermen didn't agree. Alderman Steve Gaugel said adopting the state law makes everything simple.

"It removes a considerable amount of ambiguity," Gaugel said. "Ambiguity could open us up to litigation. This makes things clearer for the chief and staff and applicants."

Keegan said businesses that would include alcohol sales often express interest in the old Amlings location near Main Street and Second Avenue.