Boulder BLA summarily suspends Chicken on the Hill’s liquor license for 15 days; show-cause hearing set

The Beverage Licensing Authority voted Wednesday to summarily suspend the liquor license for Chicken on the Hill for 15 days, after the City’s prosecutor and Boulder Police presented evidence that the establishment repeatedly served or admitted underage patrons, exceeded posted occupancy limits, and operated unapproved premise modifications that board members said created life-safety risks.

The action followed testimony from Officer Leah Reich, Boulder Police Department’s alcohol enforcement officer, who reviewed body-worn camera footage and officer reports and described repeated incidents in which people under 21 were served and in multiple cases were transported to Boulder Community Hospital after becoming incapacitated. “I’m very concerned,” Reich testified. City Deputy Attorney Chris Reynolds urged the board to impose the summary suspension and told the authority, “I would suggest a 15 day suspension would be appropriate until a … show cause hearing.”

Nut graf: The board found reasonable grounds to take emergency action under the BLA’s summary-suspension rules after police described a pattern of underage drinking, crowd-control and occupancy problems, and continuing unapproved changes to the restaurant’s layout. The BLA set a formal show-cause hearing for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 5 p.m.

What the board heard

Officer Reich told the authority she began receiving repeated calls about Chicken on the Hill (liquor license number 03-16109, legal entity: Panko Corporation) in fall 2024 and documented roughly 55–58 calls for service connected to the address since then. Her testimony summarized incidents including: - Sept. 13, 2024: a 19‑year‑old female found unconscious outside the business after consuming multiple drinks and transported to the hospital; officers reviewed owner-provided video showing the patron entering the business and later being removed by ambulance. - Oct. 4, Oct. 12 and Nov. 3, 2024: multiple calls involving intoxicated patrons aged 18–19, including one who required transport; in some cases patrons used fraudulent IDs. - Nov. 22 and Dec. 8, 2024: additional underage intoxication incidents; on Dec. 8 a 17‑year‑old and a 17‑year‑old friend reported consuming a shot at the business. - Jan. 16, 2025: officers responded to a mass-crowd call that required nine officers to disperse people blocking the sidewalk and impeding egress; officers estimated more than 100 people were waiting outside that night. - Jan. 30–31, 2025: a walkthrough documented significant changes to the layout (furniture removed, a new interior wall, upstairs cleared for standing/dancing) and one officer’s count of roughly 200 patrons inside while the posted occupancy sign inside the door read 72. - Feb. 2–14, 2025: multiple additional walkthroughs and contacts; on Feb. 14 officers found an 18‑year‑old unconscious in a restroom and security had been observed “leading people in” at the entrance.

Officer Reich also told the board that university police retained open investigations linked to the venue (CUPD: six investigations between Oct. 10, 2024 and Feb. 6, 2025) and that she had received multiple fake IDs over the period discussed; she said Chicken on the Hill had not turned over fake IDs to her as of Feb. 19. Reich summarized: patrons and some witnesses described the venue as “one of the establishments … to get in very easily” with fraudulent identification.

Legal basis and prosecutor’s argument

Deputy City Attorney Chris Reynolds told the board the testimony supported two threshold findings required for a summary suspension hearing: (1) reasonable grounds the licensee committed deliberate and willful violations of applicable law and (2) reasonable grounds that public health, safety or welfare imperatively requires emergency action. Reynolds cited city and state provisions referenced in the hearing record (see authorities list below) and framed the incidents as a pattern rather than isolated mistakes. He asked the board to summarily suspend the license for 15 days and schedule a full show-cause hearing.

Board deliberations, vote and next steps

Board Chair Matt Califano made the first motion finding reasonable grounds for emergency action; Member Mike Absalom seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote. The board subsequently found, by separate motion, reasonable grounds to conclude the licensee had committed deliberate and willful violations of requirements cited by the prosecution (motion carried; one recorded abstention on that specific finding). The authority then voted to summarily suspend the license for 15 days and set a show-cause hearing for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 5 p.m. The City will post formal notice and the prosecution will prepare the charging/order documents in advance of the March hearing.

Ending: What remains unresolved

The summary suspension is an interim, emergency step. The upcoming show-cause hearing will present the city’s written allegations and evidence; the licensee will have an opportunity to respond and present its own witnesses at that hearing. The board said it expects to receive more documentary evidence and officer reports in advance of March 5. For now, the license is suspended for 15 days and the city prosecutor will file the formal allegation package and proposed order for the March proceeding.