Planning commission approves distilled‑spirits permit for Manolo Farmers Market with electronic ID requirement

The National City Planning Commission on Oct. 7 approved a conditional use permit to allow distilled spirits sales (ABC Type 21) at Manolo Farmers Market, 303 Highland Avenue, finding the project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Class 1.

Assistant Planner Sophia Depew told commissioners the grocery is an existing 27,000‑square‑foot store in the MXC‑1 zone and staff recommended approval with standard conditions tied to City Council policy 707. Staff noted the police department’s risk assessment scored the proposal 11 points — below the 12‑point threshold that staff characterizes as low risk — and that the distilled spirits would occupy about 64 square feet behind the sales counter.

Applicant representative Steve Mattia said the market is family‑run, has operated in the neighborhood for more than three decades and that the proposed spirits display would be behind the counter and accessible only to employees. Manager Consuelo Schindelbauer said registers require clerks to verify date of birth at the point of sale and that the staff is accustomed to decoy enforcement checks.

Nearby business owners and community members urged caution. Rita Nafsu, who said she owns La Casa Liquor across the street, said longtime small stores know customers and families by name and worry a large market’s staffing changes could weaken careful ID checks. Pastor Carolyn Nichols and Luma (a youth director) said increasing local availability of hard liquor could make it easier for people with addictions and for young people to access alcohol. Jason Lyons said he supports small businesses and worried about competitive pressure on neighborhood retailers.

Sergeant Joseph Camacho of the National City Police Department said businesses may accept out‑of‑state and international IDs but that registers and ABC enforcement procedures typically include steps and manual bypasses that officers review during compliance checks. He said the department’s enforcement operations look at register workflows when conducting decoy operations.

Commissioners discussed additional safeguards and Chair Miller moved to approve the CUP with an added, application‑specific condition requiring the installation of an electronic ID‑swipe/verification device at checkout; the motion passed unanimously. Staff said the commission’s action will be forwarded to City Council as a notice of decision; Council will be the final decision maker.