Restaurants with liquor licenses could be closer to churches, playgrounds, schools and day-care centers, if those institutions agree
Restaurants with liquor licenses would be able to locate closer to churches, playgrounds, schools and day-care centers, if those institutions agree, a measure approved by the St. Charles Parish Council on Monday provides. Parish law sets a 500-foot buffer zone between the churches, schools and other such institutions and businesses that sell liquor.
The council's action allows an exception permitting alcholic sales as close as 300 feet of the protected intitutions, if the council passes a waiver resolution. There currently is no way to get a waiver from the requirement. The 300-foot buffer is the minimum required by state law.
The ordinance, sponsored by Councilwoman Wendy Benedetto, requires that the owners of the affected businesses, churches or parks within 500 feet would have to sign letters of no objection before the waiver could be granted. The ordinance applies only to businesses with restaurant liquor licenses, not taverns.
Parish Councilman Paul Hogan unsuccessfully tried to persuade the council to require the council to pass an ordinance granting the waiver, a process that requires a public hearing and public advertisements before a vote. He also tried to amend the ordinance to exclude publicly owned property, saying someone who is politically influential could persuade a public body to grant the waiver to businesses near a playground, but deny it to competitors.
Benedetto said the measure is designed to help a restaurateur who wants to relocate across the street, but the new location would be too close to a church, which does not oppose the venture.
Council members Carolyn Schexnaydre, Terrell Wilson and Hogan voted against the measure.
Wilson, whose district includes the Hahnville and Boutte areas, said the issue could be contentious because there are several churches in his district that could eventually be affected.
"It's the kind of thing that could split the congregations," he said.
In other action, the council approved a $117,699 contract with Frickey Bros. Construction to replace a boat launch in the Bonnet Carre Spillway under Interstate 10 that was damaged by storms in 2010 and by the spillway opening in 2011.
The parish was awarded a $125,000 Community Development Block Grant for the project.
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Matt Scallan can be reached at mscallan@timespicayune.com or 985.652.0953.