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Camarillo extends moratorium on new off‑sale beer and wine permits amid rising gas‑station inquiries
Summary
Council extended an urgency moratorium on new conditional use permits for off‑sale beer and wine for 10 months and 15 days to allow staff time to review local regulation and propose policy updates; staff cited increased applications and a 17‑year gap since the last major regulatory review.
The City Council on Feb. 26 adopted an urgency ordinance extending a moratorium on new permits, licenses and entitlements for the retail off‑sale of beer and wine. The extension — for up to 10 months and 15 days under Government Code section 65858(b) — passed 5‑0.
Staff said the city has seen an increase in inquiries and applications for off‑sale alcoholic beverage conditional use permits (CUPs), including two recent gas‑station CUPs on O’Neil Road that proceeded after police review and the city’s standard CUP process. "The city has recently seen an increase in applications and inquiries for off sale CUP licenses," staff (Mr. McLaren) said, and requested additional time to develop recommendations for the Economic Development and Land Use Committee before returning to council.
Council discussion touched on the 17 years since the city last conducted a major review of alcohol licensing and the role of police department review in CUP applications. Staff said pending CUP applications that were filed before the moratorium remain in process; the moratorium applies only to new off‑sale CUP applications.
A motion to extend the moratorium carried unanimously. Staff said it would return earlier if its review concludes sooner than the full extension period; the extension otherwise provides time for the committee and council to consider proposed policy changes.
