Residents Appeal Alcohol Licenses

Citizen appeals have been filed against alcohol sales licenses for two convenience stores along Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

The appeals will be discussed during tonight's Murrieta City Council meeting. During two public hearings, the residents who filed the appeals, the business owners and any other members of the public will have a chance to address the Council.

Residents Rose Banjarian and Edgar Rodrigues filed an appeal March 10 against a license by the Murrieta Planning Commission for, 40210 Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

Rodrigues also filed an appeal against the approval of a license for . The license was , during a city administrative hearing. That was after the decision was appealed to the Planning Commission. A close vote of 3-2 overturned the appeal.

In a four-page letter, appellant Rodrigues, who lists an address on Palm Tree Lane behind ARCO as his residence, wrote that the owners knew the mini-mart did not have alcohol sales privileges when it was purchased.

The location was formerly 76 Dakota Mart, but has been converted to an ARCO ampm.

Rodrigues said the basis of the Planning Commission's approval—public convenience—was instead detrimental to the neighborhood and surrounding facilities, such as Calvary Chapel Bible College.

"The granting of a (conditional use permit) will come at the expense of the surrounding community," Rodrigues wrote. "...The city's desire to change the nature of this area in the name of business is illogical and in the end will negatively affect the area in question."

Rodrigues said many of the nearby homeowners chose the neighborhood because there were no alcohol sales.

The licenses were issued following the approval last year of a for the city. Officials sought to be more "business-friendly," and in doing so, did away with distance requirements from homes. Additionally, city officials from schools to 600 feet. Businesses must meet several conditions, however, as part of obtaining a permit.

City staff is recommending City Council deny the two appeals and uphold approval of the license, according to agenda reports.

Among two commercial centers on the southern corners of Murrieta Hot Springs and Margarita roads, where the ARCO station in question is located, there is one active alcohol permit (at Fresh & Easy), according to Associate City Planner Aaron Rintamaki. The next closest is three-fourths of a mile away, he wrote in a report.

There are no K-12 schools in the immediate area and no significant crime statistics, Rintamaki wrote.

ARCO must meet several conditions in order to sell beer and wine, such as not sell it before 6 a.m. or after midnight.

Paul Swancott, project manager assigned to the 7-Eleven case, wrote there are five locations between Jackson Avenue and Interstate 215 permitted to sell alcohol for off-site use—7-Eleven would be the sixth.

The area, which has no K-12 schools in close proximity, has crime statistics consistent with large commercial areas, according to Swancott.

Notices of the public hearings were mailed to residents and businesses within 500 feet of the licenses in question.