Council tables decision on John's Liquor amid gaming-moratorium rewrite and clustering review

City attorneys and council members on April 21 discussed a request to authorize an additional Class B (package) liquor license for RK Business Inc., doing business as John’s Liquor, and whether the business may exercise a previously approved gaming premise (GP) license under the city’s gaming moratorium and pending code amendment.

City staff told the Committee of the Whole that liquor licenses are not transferable by state law; the city could amend the code to issue a new Class B license for the property and later consider a gaming-premises license if the applicant meets requirements and if the moratorium’s amended language permits it. The city attorney advised that the council could create a licensed premises that separates the package‑liquor area from a gaming area if both are to be on the same property, subject to visibility and separation rules.

Alderman Andre Jackson, representing the ward where the store is located, asked that the item be tabled so he could review details with the prospective owner; he requested staff and the applicant meet prior to the next meeting. Committee members also emphasized that an ordinance amending Title 8, Chapter 7 (liquor control) and the city’s gaming ordinance will be presented to address clustering, signage, hours and other limits.

The committee reached consensus to delay final action and to ask staff to meet with the ward alderman; staff said the proposed text amendment to the gaming ordinance would include cluster definitions, appearance and signage rules and grandfathering by attrition for existing operators.

Next steps: staff will meet with Alderman Jackson and the applicant, complete the proposed amendments to the liquor/gaming ordinances, and return the license request to committee and then to council with the amended legal language.