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Council votes to let ABC stores open in more commercial zones, excludes downtown and drops special-use requirement
Summary
Belmont City Council approved a modified text amendment to allow ABC package-store use in several additional commercial districts (NCC, T& D and rural commercial), remove a special-use permit requirement for those districts, and explicitly exclude the downtown district; council cited state oversight and local policing experience in support.
Belmont City Council on Aug. 4 adopted a modified text amendment to expand where ABC package-store uses may locate in the city while excluding the downtown district.
Planning staff explained options for addressing council's prior direction: create a separate defined use for "ABC store" and specify the districts where it would be allowed, or lump ABC stores into the generic "retail commercial" category (which would make it harder to exclude downtown). Staff recommended the special-use-permit (SUP) path for parcel-specific conditions but acknowledged council's desire for efficiency. After hearing the applicant and ABC board representatives, council agreed on a hybrid approach: define ABC store as its own use, list specific districts where it will be allowed (neighborhood center commercial, traditional neighborhood development, rural commercial, and continue in highway commercial), explicitly exclude downtown, and remove the SUP requirement for those specified districts.
Applicant arguments and public-safety input: Applicant representatives said a second Belmont location would capture local sales and return more revenue to the ABC system; they emphasized training and staffing to prevent underage sales. Assistant Police Chief Poland reported limited issues at the existing ABC store and said the department had not observed frequent attempts by minors to access alcohol at that location.
Why it matters: The change will broaden where ABC stores can locate in Belmont while preserving council's stated intention to keep the downtown area free of new package stores. The amendment does not eliminate state licensing or other state-level restrictions; any local zoning approval still requires state licensing and compliance with state proximity standards to schools.
Council action: After discussion and an applicant presentation, council voted to approve the modified text amendment with the downtown exclusion and without the SUP requirement. The motion passed unanimously.
Next steps: The city will adopt the zoning text amendment; applicants seeking to open local ABC stores must still pursue any required local approvals and obtain state licensure.
