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Council directs staff to draft ordinance to allow administrative approval for many alcohol licenses
Summary
City staff asked the council whether to move some alcohol licensing from council public hearings to an administrative process to shorten approval timelines; council directed staff to draft an ordinance while retaining council authority for license revocations and possibly for package stores where license availability is limited.
City attorney/staff proposed that certain alcohol licenses be handled administratively rather than by council public hearing, a change staff said could shorten approval timelines by two to three months by removing an extra advertisement and meeting step. Staff emphasized that council should retain authority over license revocations and suggested keeping issuance of package‑store licenses with council when limited license availability exists.
Council members asked whether the administrative process would apply to packaged retail stores, restaurant on‑premise licenses, and how applicant presence at hearings would change. Staff said package‑store licenses operate under a separate availability process and recommended retaining council consideration for those sales while moving other categories (restaurants, growlers, tasting rooms) to an administrative route.
A motion directing staff and counsel to draft the ordinance was made and approved. Staff will return a proposed ordinance for future council consideration.
