Des Plaines approves 6 liquor licenses

The Des Plaines City Council Monday night gave final approval granting liquor licenses to six gas station/convenience stores to sell packaged beer and wine per a new city ordinance.

The council was once again split over the decision with Mayor Marty Moylan casting the tiebreaking vote as he has done through every stage of the process. Aldermen John Robinson, Jean Higgason, Mark Walsten and Dan Wilson voted in favor of granting the licenses, while Aldermen Patricia Haugeberg, Matt Bogusz, James Brookman and Rosemary Argus opposed it.

The ordinance allowing packaged liquor sales at gas stations that have convenience stores of a certain size already selling packaged food was approved in April after much debate. The debate was rekindled Monday when a request by a seventh gas station/convenience store applying for the same liquor license came forward.

"I think we've lost control of the liquor licenses in the city," Brookman said reiterating his argument against the proliferation of liquor licenses. "I think the only control we have now is the saturation limit. I think it's a bad policy."

City officials have known that seven of the city's 25 licensed gas stations could qualify for the new liquor licenses based on the ordinance's requirement that the business have an indoor area of 1,300 square feet - with no more than a third of the space used for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Moylan, who serves as the city's liquor commissioner, said he doesn't expect there will be a vast expansion of liquor licenses just because the city approved the ordinance.

"There's only so many the market will support," he said. "Eventually, the market will level itself."

Bogusz said he was concerned that the aldermen would not be able to consider liquor license applications on a case-by-case basis, which was the understanding when the ordinance was approved.

"We've opened the floodgates," Bogusz said.

City Attorney Dave Wiltse said the city council couldn't reject liquor licenses to applicants who meet the criteria set forth in the ordinance.

The opposing aldermen have suggested they would like to have the new liquor license ordinance repealed.