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Planning commission approves Target’s request to add distilled spirits, limits tastings and requires locked storage
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to approve a conditional use permit allowing Target at Plaza Bonita to upgrade to a type‑21 distilled‑spirits off‑sale license, adding conditions that spirits be kept locked, walked to the register by staff, and that instructional tastings be limited to Friday–Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
The National City Planning Commission on Aug. 18 unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing Target at Plaza Bonita (3060 Plaza Bonita Road) to upgrade its off‑sale ABC license from type 20 (beer & wine) to type 21 (including distilled spirits) and to hold occasional instructional tastings under an ancillary type 86 license, with added conditions to address theft and underage‑access concerns.
Associate Planner David Welch told the commission Target has maintained a beer‑and‑wine permit at the site since 2006 and that the proposal would expand the store’s alcohol shelf area from about 30 linear feet to roughly 56 feet; staff noted a police risk assessment of 15 points (medium) and recommended conditions consistent with City Council Policy 707, such as responsible beverage training and secure storage for distilled spirits.
Beth Abalafia, an alcohol beverage attorney representing Target, said the retailer has been converting many California stores to sell distilled spirits alongside grocery operations and relies on asset‑protection staff, cameras and cashier training to manage risk. "Target takes the responsibility of selling alcohol very seriously," Abalafia told commissioners.
Members of the public raised safety concerns about tastings. Doyle Morrison asked whether sampling could encourage driving after tasting; staff and the applicant clarified that ABC rules limit tastings to very small pours and that type 86 operations are tightly regulated. Commissioner concern focused on theft risk and the nearby area that hosts a sizable unhoused population (referred to in the hearing as "the jungle").
Vice Chair Castle proposed — and the commission adopted — two specific amendments before voting: distilled spirits must be kept locked and handed to a customer at the register by a store associate, and instructional tastings will be limited to Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., consistent with Institute for Public Strategies suggestions. The amended resolution (Res. 2025‑10) passed unanimously.
The planning commission’s decision will be forwarded as a notice of decision to the City Council and is subject to ABC licensing rules and ongoing code enforcement if conditions are violated.
