The state’s liquor control board might weaken its rule that bans the selling of alcohol between 2 and 6 a.m., and officials from the board want Clark County to weigh in.
The board will hold a public hearing on the potential rule change from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 3 at Vancouver City Hall, 415 W. Sixth St. It will be the board’s second public hearing on the issue; the first was this month in Seattle, which is the city requesting the rule change.
City choice
According to Seattle’s petition to the liquor control board, individual cities should be allowed to extend the hours that businesses, including bars and clubs, are allowed to sell alcohol. Seattle officials have discussed the possibility of allowing people to purchase alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in their city.
If the liquor control board decides to grant Seattle’s request, then all the state’s cities would have the option to ask the liquor control board to exempt them from the 2 a.m. alcohol sales cutoff.
The rule change “responds to community demand for more flexible liquor service hours,” according to Seattle’s petition, and it would “increase consumer choice and promote economic activity.”
Issue of driving
At the public hearing on March 12 in Seattle, reaction to the potential rule change was mixed, said Brian Smith, spokesman for the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Some argued that 24/7 alcohol sales would make the city safer because drunk drivers wouldn’t all hit the streets at the same time when the bars stop serving at 2 a.m.
Others argued that the rule change would be more dangerous. If bar patrons could continue to drink past 2 a.m., they could get much more intoxicated, and some might drive home when other people are commuting to work.
To receive the exemption from the 2 a.m. alcohol sales cutoff, a city would need to pass an ordinance outlining the terms of it extended-hours plan. Then it would need to apply to the liquor control board for the exemption.
Required to monitor
A city could seek the exemption for the entire city or limit it to a specific area within the city. While applying for the exemption, the city would need to provide an impact statement from law enforcement, statements of support from residents and businesses affected by the exemption, and an explanation of how the exemption would benefit the city.
If a city is granted an exemption, city officials would be required to submit annual reports to the liquor control board outlining any public safety problems happening in areas with extended hours for alcohol sales.
In addition to hearing from members of the public during the Vancouver hearing on April 3, Smith said, board members also want to receive comment from members of Southwest Washington law enforcement and area governments, neighborhood associations and other community groups.
For those who can’t attend the public hearing, the liquor control board is accepting public comment via email to rules@liq.wa.gov. The public comment period continues through May 7.
Stevie Mathieu: 360-735-4523; http://twitter.com/col_politics; http://facebook.com/reportermathieu; stevie.mathieu@columbian.com.
