Brecksville establishes Valor Acres community entertainment district, clears path for 14 D‑5J liquor license applications

Brecksville City Council on March 18 approved an ordinance creating the Valor Acres Village Community Entertainment District (CED), a zoning-limited area that allows applicants inside the district to seek D‑5J liquor permits confined to that geographic area. The ordinance passed with five votes in favor; two members were recused or absent during the final roll call.

The CED, as explained at length by the developer’s representative, is a state-authorized tool (Ohio Revised Code §4301.8) that creates a separate pool of liquor permits for qualifying businesses within the district. "What the community entertainment district is is a separate pot of liquor licenses that are made available to qualifying businesses that are located within the bounds," said Mr. Neil, the applicant representative supporting the application. He added that the state minimum application fee for a qualifying permit is about $2,844 and that the CED avoids putting new licenses into…