Pier 450 application: board conditionally accepts restaurant application but defers pier extension pending county opt-in and zoning change

The Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary's County on Dec. 13 conditionally accepted an application from Peggy Benzel to purchase the waterfront restaurant formerly known as Shible's and operate it as Pier 450, a Class B beer, wine and liquor restaurant license with catering privileges and an outdoor-seating extension. The board imposed a 90-day conditional approval requiring health-department sign-off, trader's (change-of-occupancy) permit, fire marshal approval, alcohol-awareness training and completion of closing.

Peggy Benzel appeared with an assistant, Rob Plant, and described plans to reopen the restaurant with seasonal outdoor seating, early food service for hotel guests and off-sale (to-go) options for guests staying at nearby rental properties. Benzel and her consultant emphasized that the outdoor seating would be gated and supervised, with signage and staff to prevent patrons from leaving the premises with open containers.

The meeting then moved to a separate, contested question: whether the board could approve extending the licensed premises to include a 450-foot pier and two…