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Committee asks staff for options after hearing liquor‑sales ratio concerns from downtown businesses
Summary
Police staff reported several restaurants in Lee's Summit exceeded the city's sales‑ratio threshold (average 53% alcohol sales, high of 56%), and the committee asked staff to return with ordinance options — including modest ratio increases (e.g., 55%), a mid‑tier license with time‑of‑day age restrictions, or other reporting approaches.
Police staff briefed the committee June 10 on compliance issues tied to liquor‑license types that require less than 50% of gross sales from alcohol (C3, G3 and T licenses). Staff said special events and the growing downtown entertainment district can spike alcohol sales and that, on average among affected businesses, alcohol made up about 53% of gross sales with the highest single report at 56%.
Staff summarized options for council consideration: require businesses that exceed thresholds to change license type (which can restrict minors), raise the allowed alcohol ratio (staff suggested 55–60%), create a mid‑tier license with a time‑of‑day restriction that would permit higher alcohol sales but prohibit minors after a set hour, or adopt blackout days for counting special‑event sales. Staff cautioned blackout days are operationally difficult to define and apply consistently.
Committee members generally favored adjusting the ratio modestly and asked staff to return with draft ordinance language and data on how many businesses would be affected. Members also discussed requiring more frequent reporting (monthly or quarterly vs. the current annual reporting tied to license renewal) to give the city better visibility into spikes tied to events.
Staff said provisional licenses are sometimes used while businesses come into compliance; the committee directed staff to prepare options and counts of affected establishments for follow‑up review.
