Council approves alcohol variance for 5 Monkeys near UTSA with conditions

The City of San Antonio's Zoning and Land Use session on June 18 approved an alcohol variance permitting on-premise alcohol consumption at 7280 UTSA Boulevard, the location of 5 Monkeys, subject to a set of council-imposed conditions.

Arun Khosana, an operator at 5 Monkeys, asked the council to judge the restaurant on its record and urged approval. "We are simply asking to be judged based on our actual performance, our actual record, and commitment to the community," Khosana told the council. A public commenter, Jack Finger, urged denial, saying he worried about alcohol sales near college students and neighborhood safety.

Councilwoman Mesa Gonzalez (District 8) described a "middle-ground" motion intended to balance neighborhood concerns and the needs of a new small business. The approved conditions limit authorization to the restaurant establishment, allow alcohol for on-premise consumption only, prohibit transfer of the authorization to new owners or different land uses, terminate authorization after 12 consecutive months of nonoperation, bar outside sound amplification, and require the applicant to annually document to the Department of Building Inspections that no more than 50% of the establishment's annual gross revenue is generated by alcohol sales. The council voted to approve the variance with those conditions; the motion carried.