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Committee reviews mayor's proposed liquor-code changes including 90-day termination and expanded temporary licenses
Summary
Committee members reviewed mayoral draft amendments to Chapter 4 that would allow automatic termination of a liquor license after 90 days of nonoperation and expand supplemental licenses to include nonprofits and out-of-town caterers for temporary events.
The License and Franchise Committee reviewed draft amendments to Chapter 4 of the city liquor code the mayor circulated for committee feedback. The two main topics were an addition to Section 4.28 that would make failure to operate for more than 90 days an automatic termination of the liquor license without written request, and an expansion of supplemental licenses in Sections 4.29–4.39 to add Class D (clubs and nonprofits) and to allow Class F use for businesses located outside Kankakee to cater events inside the city.
Committee members said the 90-day automatic-termination language would give the city more authority to reclaim unused licenses, which some members said have been held while buildings remained inactive. Several members warned, however, that 90 days could be too short for new businesses that must complete construction or remodeling projects before opening. Members noted there is an existing clause that the liquor-control commissioner "may suspend or revoke" licenses for enumerated reasons, and staff said a license holder could submit a written request for longer build-out time; the liquor commissioner would have discretion whether to grant an extension.
On supplemental licenses, the committee discussed adding Class D so that nonprofit clubs (the Knights of Columbus was cited as an example) could obtain permission for outdoor or off-site events, and a Class F pathway so businesses from outside city limits could be authorized to cater events inside Kankakee using a temporary license, subject to fee, insurance and local permit conditions. Members compared the proposal to one-day food-truck or special-event licensing and discussed how a daily-license fee could help cover liability and improve local tax reporting for out-of-town vendors.
No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; members asked staff and the mayor for clarifications on the 90-day threshold, the written-request process, and the fee/insurance structure for temporary/supplemental licenses and asked that the mayor attend a future meeting to discuss further.
