By Alex Davidson
Community Board 9 considered four new liquor, beer and wine license applications from Richmond Hill at its regular meeting last week and recommended only two for approval to the state Liquor Authority while tabling another application from Woodhaven.
The board addressed the five vendors who sent letters of intent to the Liquor Authority, the agency in charge of issuing the licenses, and held public hearings to consider each application. The board only acts in an advisory manner, District Manager Mary Ann Carey said, but is considered a key component in the process for an applicant to obtain the right to serve liquor.
“They (the vendors) certainly want our support because it does carry a lot of weight,” she said. “They should try to work with the community.”
Carey said the board does not approve the liquor licenses, but instead submits letters to the SLA stating it does not oppose the applications in its jurisdiction. CB 9 includes Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Kew Gardens and Woodhaven.
The board did not oppose the applications from Fantasy Corner Store at 132-77 Metropolitan Ave. or Ideal West Indian Product at 112-02 101st Ave., both in Richmond Hill, Carey said.
But members were against recommending approval of new licenses to two other Richmond Hill vendors, 101 Liquor Store at 127-32 101st Ave. and Michael's Side Pocket Inc. at 87-50 Lefferts Blvd. because they had received letters from the community opposing the applications, Carey said.
Community Board 9 decided to table the request for a new license from Hacienda Nena Corp. at 77-01 101st Ave.
Tom McKeon, counsel to the SLA, said the authority requires new applicants to give community boards 30 days to consider their applications before the state makes any final decisions. He said he considers community boards a source for community input and thus key players in providing the authority with information that helps it decide whether to approve or disapprove an applicant's request.
“The idea … is that if the community board wishes to express an opinion, it can.”
McKeon said each community board has different rules for deciding to approve or disapprove recommendations to grant or renew liquor licenses. He said some community boards choose to not even consider the applications and defer to the state.
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156
