Commission renews two downtown liquor licenses after public hearings; one vote split

Two southeast downtown restaurants won commission approval to renew their Class C liquor licenses at the March 10 meeting after public hearings and discussion of safety and crowd-control measures.

Lede: After public hearings that included owners, staff and residents, the commission approved renewal of the Class C licenses for 2 20 (Merrill) and Zana (210 S. Old Woodward). Commissioners pressed both operators on measures taken after prior overcrowding or disturbance incidents and asked for aggressive enforcement of parking/valet rules.

What happened at the hearings - 2 20 (Merrill): Owner representatives said they had met with police and fire, increased security and taken procedural steps after a prior overcrowding violation. A nearby resident reported repeated curbside parking by customers that blocks driveways. Police and the owners agreed to coordinate on more active enforcement. The commission voted to renew the license (roll call recorded yes votes from the commissioners present), after the applicant said it had added security staff and was working with both police and fire to avoid repeats. - Zana (South Old Woodward): Owners and managers apologized for “instances of overcrowding” and several reported disturbances during 2024. They described recent operational changes — more security personnel and closer coordination…