'User-friendly' liquor code approved in Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich will have fewer types of liquor licenses and standardized hours for when alcohol may be sold starting Jan. 1, in what officials say is an effort to make it easier for businesses to operate.
Village Innovation Director Michael Duebner helped revise the town's liquor code, which today has 28 distinct classifications for 62 license holders. By a 5-0 vote Monday night, the village board approved the new code that reduces the license categories from 28 to 18.
Duebner said the many different licenses were cumbersome for the businesses and challenging for the village to enforce.
the new regulations will allow, retailers, restaurants and most other licensees to sell alcohol from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Village officials said this will be a significant improvement because there are too many varying time periods under the existing ordinance.
"I think this is a great direction to go in," Trustee Jeffrey Halen said. "Try and make it more user-friendly and less codes, everything like that."
Under the revised regulations, gas stations and convenience stores will be allowed to sell all alcoholic beverages. They're currently restricted to beer and wine sales.
Lake Zurich's new liquor code also is good news for anyone who wants to pair carryout food with an adult beverage from a full-service restaurant.
"You are able to phone in an order of a menu item and you are able to add a bottle of wine to it, or beer or what have you to go along with that," Duebner said.
Copper Fiddle Distillery on Route 22 will be allowed to sell its spirits on the premises, under the liquor code revisions. To accommodate the Black Belt craft brewery on Donata Court, the new regulations will provide for a license allowing guests to drink its beer in a tap room.
Village Attorney Scott Uhler said liquor licenses are obtained by businesses yearly. That means changes can be made again for 2018 if the new revisions don't work out.