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Beatrice council recommends NP Mart liquor license over church objections, 4–3
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Summary
After a public hearing with church leaders and neighbors opposing a convenience store liquor sales outlet adjacent to First Christian Church, the Beatrice City Council voted 4–3 to recommend approval of Beatrice Petroleum LLC's Class D liquor license application to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
The Beatrice City Council recommended approval of a Class D liquor license for Beatrice Petroleum LLC, doing business as NP Mart, for a proposed convenience store at 200 North 6th Street, voting 4–3 after a public hearing and extended council discussion.
The recommendation followed public testimony from Jeff Collins, interim pastor of First Christian Church, who told the council that the building is approximately 75 feet from the church and invoked Nebraska statute 53-177, which restricts issuance of retail liquor licenses within 150 feet of churches, schools and certain institutions. Collins said the church had not received the mailed notice and asked the council to note the congregation’s formal opposition and, if necessary, to request a hearing before the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
Julie Collins, a nearby resident and pastor’s wife, described personal and community concerns about normalizing alcohol sales adjacent to a place of worship and urged the council to protect children and families. Both speakers asked the council to take the church’s objection into account even though the state Liquor Control Commission makes the final licensing decision.
Dave Houghton, representing Beatrice Petroleum LLC/NP Mart, described the project as a typical NP Mart convenience store (the company operates multiple locations in Nebraska) and said the owners plan modest signage, fresh-food offerings and a Hunt Brothers Pizza franchise in the store. He also disclosed that the business planned a roughly $1.5 million investment in the project and acknowledged an earlier outreach error that contacted the wrong church; he indicated the pastor was attending and might oppose the license.
Council members debated competing considerations: the store’s potential economic benefits and increased downtown convenience versus the church’s proximity and the policy implications of another alcohol outlet in the city center. Staff clarified that distance is measured wall to wall and confirmed other NP Mart locations across Nebraska.
Speaker 4 (MacLean) moved that the council recommend approval to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission; the motion was seconded and, after discussion, the council voted 4–3 to recommend approval. The minutes record Doyle, Rue and Bridal as voting no. The council noted that its action is advisory; the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission will make the final licensing decision and may hold its own hearing.
The council’s recommendation means the application proceeds to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission for consideration and possible hearing under state statute; no final license decision was made by the council itself.
Ending: The council closed the public hearing at 6:43 p.m. and recorded the 4–3 recommendation; the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission is now the decisionmaker on issuance of the Class D license.
