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Board discusses creating a new 'event venue' alcohol license; staff to draft proposal
Summary
Members debated a new event-venue license class that would let licensed venues host recurring events while addressing hours, who may supply alcohol, minimum-event thresholds and insurance requirements; staff will draft proposed language and return to the board.
Caroline County licensing officials and board members on July 24 began an extended discussion about whether to create a new "event venue" class of liquor license to cover barns, halls and other commercial venues that host weddings and recurring events.
Board members said the license should likely apply only to already-licensed businesses that host events rather than to ad-hoc rentals. "To me the biggest thing is it has to already be a licensed establishment to hold events," one member said during the discussion of how an event-venue class would differ from a caterer's or temporary permit.
Key issues raised included whether venues must always supply alcohol (and maintain distributor purchasing and records), whether venues could allow customers to bring their own drinks, minimum numbers of yearly events to qualify for the license, and whether the county should require locked storage for alcohol when not in use.
Insurance and safety drew particular attention. "To what extent do we require proof of liability insurance for the facility that is applying for any of these licenses?" a board member asked, noting that farm or barn venues could see sharp insurance changes when they host commercial alcohol events. Members suggested requiring a certificate of commercial liability insurance and appropriate fire-marshal or occupancy inspections as part of a license application.
Staff noted Caroline County already has a special-event venue regulation that sets event times and cleanup requirements, and suggested defaulting to standard license hours (for example, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.) while drafting an event-venue class around distributor purchasing, minimum-event thresholds and storage standards. Several members recommended a minimum-event test (examples discussed included four to 10 events a year) and that staff draft proposed language for the board and the county commissioners.
Board members agreed to ask staff and county legislative counsel to prepare draft language reflecting those principles and to return with proposed rules and draft legislation for the commissioners. The matter remains at the discussion and drafting stage; no formal license was adopted at the meeting.
