New year, new liquor license classifications to be considered in Highland Park.
Council members for the city are considering amending the current liquor code with general amendments, and adding seven liquor license classifications.
As a part of the city’s 2023 Major Projects Plan, staff did an in-depth review of the existing code and made recommended changes to the city’s alcoholic beverages code.
City Manager Ghida Neukirch said staff reviews municipal code regularly to ensure the code is still, “relevant, up-to-date and best serving (the) community.”
“We’re always exploring opportunities on how we can best support our businesses, provide safe and effective services to the public and streamline our processes,” Neukirch said. “We are very much a proactive community.”
During a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday night, City Council members were receptive to staff recommendations for general amendments, but had outstanding questions about the creation of two new classifications: accessory use and bar with limited food service.
City staff’s next steps will be to draft the ordinances for the general amendments, amendments to existing classifications and an ordinance for the new license classifications.
Council members also asked staff to get public opinion on the free-standing bar license during upcoming neighborhood meetings.
Neukirch anticipates the new amendments and regulations will go before the council for final approval during the first quarter of 2024.
General amendments to the liquor code include updating hours of operation for Sundays, a provision to review license fees every five years, no limit to the number of licenses issued by the city, beer keg tag purchasing and permitting the delivery of for-sale cocktails.
The proposed new classifications include accessory use, bar with limited food service, bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB), caterer, pop-up dining, complimentary liquor service and nano breweries.
The recommended amendments came from a combination of conversations with businesses, property owners and staff research on nationwide regulations and best practices, according to the city manager.
“I think businesses may appreciate this,” Neukirch said. “They want to locate to a community that is regularly reviewing their regulations to best support businesses and the customers they serve.”
City code is currently silent on BYOB, but staff knows some businesses allow the service so the city wants to update regulations accordingly, she said.
“It’s permissible because our code doesn’t strictly prohibit it,” Neukirch said. “We want to expressly include a provision in the code that would allow businesses to do that with regulations.”
An accessory use license would allow the sale and consumption of alcohol on business premises, as long as the sale and consumption are secondary to the primary business activity, such as at a spa or salon.
Staff recommended that liquor-only be for sale during the active business hours of the business’s primary function.
The new classification for a bar with limited food service would be a free-standing bar license, according to staff, with the required inclusion of limited food available at the business.
Council members were concerned with public opinion, and if this is a license about which the public is interested. Of the communities surrounding Highland Park, only Highwood has a free-standing bar license, according to Highland Park staff.
Mayor Nancy Rotering said she has received “agitated” calls and emails from Ravinia residents after a proposal came before the city for a barbershop speakeasy on Roger Williams Avenue. Rotering said the residents said the area doesn’t need another bar, when there already are restaurants with them on the main drag.
The business proposal at Yana’s Barbershop will be reviewed at the next council meeting on Feb. 12.
Neukirch thinks the new regulations could open up an opportunity for enhanced services for current businesses, and also attract new businesses.
“We also hope that this serves as an opportunity for business attraction because we want prospective businesses to look at Highland Park as a place that is business-friendly,” she said.
