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Council issues 'no recommendation' for District 4 liquor licenses after neighborhood concerns
Summary
Council voted to deliver no recommendation to the state for two District 4 liquor license applications, citing neighborhood concerns about proximity to schools, parking and past use of the property; both votes were unanimous 9-0 to forward without recommendation.
The Phoenix City Council on Sept. 17 issued “no recommendation” for two District 4 liquor license applications, sending both files to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for final decision while formally recording neighborhood concerns.
Councilwoman Pastor, who handled both items, said she received community input raising worries about the proximity of one proposed restaurant to Osborne Middle School and AmeriSchools. After hearing residents and an applicant explain the business plans, Pastor moved a recommendation of no action by the council so the state can adjudicate the licenses; both motions passed unanimously.
Why it matters: Local councils act as recommending bodies on liquor licenses but the final authority rests with the state. A local no-recommendation alerts the state to unresolved neighborhood concerns and creates a public record for opponents to file comments.
What happened at the hearing: The first application, for a business presented as Champagne/ Mimosa Cafe & Lounge, prompted questions from Councilwoman Pastor about whether the venue would operate as a hookah lounge; the applicant replied, “There is absolutely no hookah lounge in that. It's a restaurant.” Residents, including Anne Ender representing a neighborhood association, said they were concerned about the site’s lack of windows, the presence of drug activity in the area and the restaurant’s proximity to two schools. City liquor staff told the council that the series 12 restaurant license at issue is not subject to the statutory school-distance restriction applicable to some other license types and that the police department had recommended approval after departmental review.
Council action and outcome: Pastor moved and the council approved by roll call a “no recommendation” on the Champagne Cafe Lounge application; the council noted that as a recommending body it does not grant or deny licenses and that the state will accept submitted community objections. The vote was 9-0. The second District 4 license case produced the same procedural outcome: a “no recommendation” by the council, also 9-0.
Next steps: Both applications will proceed to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for final review, where state staff will consider local input and any submitted protests.
Caveat: City staff clarified that the restaurant-style series 12 license requires the business to meet a minimum percentage of food sales to qualify; the council’s action does not alter that statutory standard.
