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VOL. 13 • NO. 48
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017
Village Board considers allowing liquor sales at gas stations Applies to stores 7,000 square feet or larger; Trustees question random number
FOR THE VILLA PARK INDEPENDENT
Convenience stores in Villa Park can currently apply for a liquor license and, if approved, sell packaged liquor. That is, unless that convenience store also sells gasoline or other motor fuels. This situation may change in the near future, however, as the Village Board of Trustees recently discussed allowing liquor sales at gas stations in the Garden Village. “The Village received a request to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor at any place of business, including gas stations,” said Village Manager Rich Keehner, who was reading the Formal Agenda at the Board meeting on Monday, Nov. 13. The proposed ordinance would add a new liquor license designation (D-1) to the municipal code to allow issuance of liquor license to fuel station convenience stores larger than 7,000 square feet. An additional requirement would be no more than 20% of the gross floor area of the store could be devoted to displaying alcoholic beverages. “I’m not following this, I thought non-home rule municipalities couldn’t regulate this,” said Trustee Chris Aiello. “We’re trying to make some reasonable limitations rather than make it unlimited,” Village Attorney Kathleen Field Orr said. “What I don’t want to do is make a 7,000 square foot limit,” said Aiello. “I’m potentially helping some liquor store vendors and I’m hurting others, some of which have been in town forever already. How did we come up with the 7,000 square feet [requirement]?” “That came up years ago on the Board when we talked about it,”
Village President Al Bulthuis said. “We didn’t do that as a group on the Board, we did it individually and the consensus was 7,000 square feet.” Trustee Aiello then made a recommendation to study the average square footage of various gas sta-
tions in town. “It seems unreasonable to me to say ‘7,000 is fine, 5,000 is not fine.’ Aiello said. “And I’m against dictating … what is fine. I would let the gas stations decide what is fine or isn’t [for them].”
“I think setting the square footage at 7,000 sounds arbitrary,” agreed Trustee Robert Wagner. “I agree with Trustee Aiello.” Trustee Cheryl Tucker expressed her concerns with allowing hard liquor sales at gas stations. She also
clarified that, if allowed to sell packaged alcoholic beverages, gas stations would have to abide by the current hours allowed for such sales in Villa Park.
See BOARD, Page 2
SUBMITTED PHOTO Villa Park Independent
Preschoolers enjoy Fall Frolics
Children attending Villa Park Recreation’s preschool program recently held Fall Frolics where they performed a variety of fall-themed songs for family and friends.
Inside:
Police Reports...........6 Sports �������������������� 13 Legals..................... 17 Classifieds..........15-16
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