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Oxnard Planning Commission approves Downtown Market off‑sale alcohol permit
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a special‑use permit allowing Downtown Market at 520 W. 5th St. to obtain an ABC Type 21 off‑sale license for beer, wine and distilled spirits, subject to standard police and operational conditions and a CEQA exemption under section 15301.
The Oxnard Planning Commission on April 2 approved a special‑use permit allowing Downtown Market, a reopening two‑story tenant at 520 West Fifth Street, to apply for an ABC Type 21 off‑sale license to sell beer, wine and distilled spirits for off‑site consumption.
Assistant Planner Christopher Murillo told the commission staff recommended approval of Planning and Zoning Permit No. 25‑510‑03 and said the project qualified for a categorical CEQA exemption under Guidelines section 15301 for existing facilities. Murillo said staff received a neighborhood comment from the Hobson Park East Neighborhood Chair raising concern about single‑shot liquor bottles, and that police‑recommended conditions were drafted to discourage such sales.
Applicant Elias Toma said Downtown Market — which recently occupied a building vacant for more than five years — has upgraded parking and lighting and carries groceries and household essentials. "We brought life and activity back to the neighborhood," Toma said, adding that the market will not stock single‑shot containers and that point‑of‑sale controls and back‑of‑store storage will prevent sales of items the business does not carry.
Police reviewer Scott Swenson told commissioners that staff reviews police incident reports for the prior year (2024 for this application) and that recorded call types do not always capture all alcohol‑related details, so police conditions focus on operations and nuisance prevention. Swenson said he observed the site and does not expect it will attract the kinds of problems sometimes seen in other off‑sale locations when operators enforce rules.
Commissioners asked about photometric lighting and parking compliance; staff confirmed parking conforms to downtown code and that the applicant had visited the site. After brief deliberation praising the project's contribution to downtown revitalization and noting applicable CEQA findings, Vice Chair Dr. Stewart moved and Commissioner Dr. Lopez seconded the staff recommendation. A roll call vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.
The permit was approved subject to the findings and conditions in the staff report, including police‑recommended conditions intended to discourage single‑container sales and operational measures the applicant described (POS controls, security cameras, on‑site porter). There were no public comments at the hearing on this item.
