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Delegation hears narrow exception to church-distance liquor restriction for Towson development
Summary
House Bill 987 would allow a limited liquor-license exception for a restaurant in Towson’s commercial revitalization district near a place of worship if the church consents and other narrow criteria are met; sponsors and local stakeholders are negotiating technical amendments.
Delegate Nino Mangione presented House Bill 987, a narrowly drawn exception to the statutory distance restriction that generally bars certain liquor licenses within 300 feet of a place of worship. The sponsor said the bill applies only to specific circumstances in the Towson Commercial Revitalization District and would require written consent from the nearby place of worship, location in a Class A 100,000-square-foot office building, and a prior BMDT zoning classification.
Mangione said the change is intended to help economic development in downtown Towson—where many office and retail businesses have struggled post COVID—by allowing a targeted restaurant that would not be a “class A” on-sale license and that would operate consistent with community expectations. Wayne Gioso, president of Mid-Atlantic Properties and a Towson developer, testified in support and said the church near the proposed location has written in favor of the exception.
Jack Milani, representing licensed beverage interests, said he and the sponsor were negotiating several technical amendments to avoid unintended consequences, including controls on bar size, packaged-goods privileges and other operational details; he urged the delegation to consider a 100-foot limit with additional restrictions to avoid placing churches in awkward negotiating positions with developers.
Delegate Kathy Forbes said she cosponsored the bill and expects to work with the sponsor and stakeholders on language changes; the delegation will consider amendments posted in advance. No formal vote was taken at the Feb. 7 hearing.
