Council approves Type 21 ABC license and conditional use permit for Arco at 45 15th Street over two dissenting votes

The West Sacramento City Council on July 16 approved a conditional use permit and the finding of public convenience or necessity (PCN) for a Type 21 Alcoholic Beverage Control license (beer, wine and distilled spirits) at an Arco service station at 45 15th Street.

Elijah Ortega, associate planner in the Community Development Department, summarized the project and the local license inventory and told council there are multiple off‑sale beer and wine or full‑liquor retailers in the neighborhood and city. The proposal required a conditional use permit because it sought a Type 21 ABC license.

The application initially drew a police department recommendation not to approve the license based on local enforcement concerns. The matter went to the Planning Commission in December and, after additional analysis and proposed conditions, was returned to the commission in March with a recommendation to approve with conditions. The staff report presented to council included those conditions, which the planning commission adopted to limit potential neighborhood impacts.

At the council meeting the applicant’s representative, Pete Tobin of Tobin Consulting, and the property owner explained the project is a full rebuild of the service station and that the liquor license in escrow is necessary to make the redevelopment financially viable. The applicant said denying the Type 21 license would likely mean the proposed reconstruction would not proceed as planned and would instead leave the aged facility in its current state.

Council discussion focused on neighborhood saturation of alcohol outlets, the police department’s concerns, and the specifics of the planning commission’s conditions. Ortega confirmed one condition gives the community development director and the police chief authority to revisit the permit and its conditions one year after opening to address any problems identified in that period.

Motion and vote: Councilmember Ocala moved to approve the PCN and conditional use permit; Mayor Pro Tem Sulpizio Hall seconded. The roll call vote was: Councilmember Ocala — yes; Councilmember Early — no; Councilmember Orozco — no; Mayor Pro Tem Sulpizio Hall — yes; Mayor Guerrero — yes. The motion carried 3–2.

Staff noted that if council had denied the Type 21 request the applicant could pursue a different license (for example, a Type 20 beer‑and‑wine license) but that would require a new ABC application and potentially restart parts of the permit process.

Ending: The council approved the conditional use permit and PCN with conditions aimed at limiting exterior advertising of alcoholic beverages, restricting hours for hard alcohol sales and allowing staff and police to return to council for modifications if neighborhood problems arise in the first year.