Arlington looks to tighten liquor controls

A moratorium on new licenses for retail liquor stores was proposed Monday by Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder.

Mulder asked the village staff to bring information about such a step to a future meeting of the village board. She would like to see grocery and produce stores exempted from any moratorium.

Mulder could just decline any requests for new liquor licenses in her role as liquor commissioner, said Jack Siegel, village attorney. "A liquor license is a privilege, not a right," he said.

Mulder responded at the board meeting that she did not want to make such a decision unilaterally, but wanted to discuss it with the board after input from village staff.

Arlington Heights does not have a set number of liquor licenses, but people seeking licenses request them from the village board, which makes a recommendation to Mulder.

The board passed an ordinance Monday that regulates the sale of single servings of alcoholic beverages from retail stores. This was a compromise reached after meetings between liquor store owners and village staff members. The ordinance - originally proposed by the police department - is part of a campaign to reduce problems associated with public drinking and intoxication.

At a previous board meeting Jerry Rosen, executive director of the Beverage Retailers Alliance of Illinois, said Arlington Heights has more liquor licenses per resident than other area towns.

Thirty stores are licensed to sell liquor in Arlington Heights, and five to sell only beer and wine, said Diana Mikula, assistant to the village manager.

Rosen suggested extreme competition might drive retailers to operate their stores in ways that are not in the best interest of society.

Mulder said when representatives of a statewide organization recognize there might be a problem the village should "reassess how we fit in the scheme of things."

"I do think that we should have a discussion on a moratorium and thoroughly examine it," she said.

No requests for licenses for retail liquor stores are pending, said Village Manager Bill Dixon.