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Perris planning commission approves beer-and-wine permit for Beyond Mart at Ramona Expressway
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Summary
The commission approved a conditional use permit and a public convenience determination allowing a Type 20 (beer and wine) off‑sale alcohol license for a Beyond Mart convenience store at Ramona Expressway and Webster Avenue, despite the census tract already having 12 licenses; staff found the location meets local distance standards and the sheriff raised no objections. (Vote: 5–0; 1 absent)
The Perris Planning Commission on March 4 approved a conditional use permit (25-00010) and a public convenience and necessity determination (26-00001) to allow a Type 20 off‑sale beer-and-wine license for a proposed Beyond Mart convenience store at the southwest corner of Ramona Expressway and Webster Avenue.
Planner Monica Carranza told commissioners the project site falls within a census tract that, under ABC rules, has an overconcentration of off‑sale licenses (the staff presentation said the tract already contains 12 licenses). Because the tract exceeds the ABC “three-per-tract” threshold for new licenses, the municipal code requires the commission to find public convenience or necessity before adding another license. Staff said the site complies with distance requirements to sensitive receptors (schools, parks and churches) and that the sheriff’s office had no comments; staff recommended approval. “The location shall not impact sensitive receptors,” Carranza said.
Applicant Marwan Alabasi and his wife, who said the family has operated gas‑station convenience stores since 1998, said adding beer and wine is necessary for business viability. “It’s a necessity,” Alabasi said. His wife, identified only as Elizabeth in the record, told the commission their existing stores have not had violations and that they ID customers; she said the stores typically lock coolers late at night. Commissioners and staff clarified the allowable hours: alcohol sales at the site will end at 2 a.m. as required by ABC rules (the transcript originally misstated hours as 6 a.m. to 6 a.m., and the applicant and staff corrected the record).
The commission moved and seconded the resolution and approved the CUP and public convenience determination on a 5–0 vote with one absence. Staff noted that municipal code provides for exemptions to certain proximity rules if findings can be met; staff concluded required findings were satisfied for this site.
What’s next: The approval allows the applicant to pursue final permits and ABC licensing; ABC will make a separate licensing determination consistent with state rules and the commission’s local findings.
