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Waukegan committee holds proposed increase in liquor-license cap; approves three individual licenses
Summary
The Finance and Purchasing Committee held over an ordinance to raise the city's overall liquor-license cap to 175 after extended objections from aldermen and public comment; the committee separately approved three individual license increases for banquet and restaurant uses.
Aldermen on the Waukegan Finance and Purchasing Committee on July 21 held over a proposed ordinance that would raise the citywide cap on liquor licenses from 150 to 175, after public comment and a lengthy committee debate about community impacts.
The proposal to raise the cap was moved to the full City Council but then held over to the committee for further discussion and additional information. Committee members said they want more time to review the effects of preauthorizing license slots and how newly available licenses would proceed through local review.
The ordinance drew sustained opposition from several aldermen and members of the public who said adding more available licenses risks increasing alcohol-related harms downtown and limits neighborhoods’ input. Tom Capine, owner of Capine Studio, told the committee a downtown tavern…
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