Township to Create Third Liquor License

While reviewing existing liquor licenses in , the committee discovered room for one more consumption liquor license.

According to state statute, Mayor Nicole Hagner told the committee, municipalities can allow one consumption (C) liquor license per 3,000 residents. With a population in the township of more than 10,000, the committee can create up to three C licenses.

"Currently, our ordinance only allows for two," Hagner said. Those two licenses are currently held by and the .

Because the ordinance governing liquor licenses already exists, the creation of a third license must be introduced as an amendment and go through two readings and one public hearing at township committee meetings. If it passes, the license will be sold at public auction. The license also has an additional fee of $1,595.

"There's going to probably be a need for Carl [Woodward, the township attorney] to develop standards and prequalifications," said Tom Ciccarone, the township administrator. "You're going to need to know that the potential licensee is qualified to hold a license....but you're also going to have to approve the location that the license will go to."

Ciccarone said the location must meet certain requirements under the ordinance, including minimum distances from any school or religious establishment.

Committee Member Bailey Brower Jr. and the rest of the committee agreed to introduce an amendment at a later meeting allowing a third license, since it would draw businesses to Chatham Township.

"This license is a tremendously attractive incentive for someone to fill an open space," Brower said. He mentioned the open store fronts in town and specifically referred to the vacant area in the Chatham Mall where Drug Fair was previously located.

Hagner also reported on the state of other liquor licenses permitted in town. Distribution licenses are permitted for one license per 7,500 residents. Because distribution licenses issued before the law went into effect can be "grandfathered" in, Chatham Township currently has two businesses with distribution licenses.

Township statute also allows for one club license to serve liquor. Township Clerk Greg LaConte said, "As far as I know we don't have any organizations that would meet the state standards for a club. A club license would typically go to something like the Elks Club or a VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] post."

The township committee can also grant one-day beer and wine licenses to nonprofit organizations hosting special occasions, such as the .

LaConte said state law also allows for seasonal liquor licenses, but he was not aware if any township businesses held or met the requirements for a seasonal license.