July 23, 2003
Olympia - The Liquor Control Board held a Board Meeting today in Olympia to decide whether to approve Seattle’s request for an alcohol impact area in the Pioneer Square area.
After months of careful review the Board feels that Seattle’s request for an Alcohol Impact Area meets the requirements outlined in rule. The approval of an Alcohol Impact Area gives the city of Seattle more time to review liquor license applications and renewals for businesses inside an AIA.
“An AIA is not meant to be the only response to a serious societal problem,” said Merritt Long, Chairman of the Liquor Control Board. “Rather it is meant to be one tool in combination with other programs to address the unique needs of a community.”
After careful consideration the Board also approved the following restrictions within the
AIA:
- No off-premises alcohol sales between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.;
- No off-premises sales of beer products by the single can or bottle;
- No sales of all flavors and container sizes of the following wine products:
- Cisco
- Gino’s Premium Blend,
- MD 20/20
- Night Train Express
- Richard’s Wild Irish Rose,
- Thunderbird
These restrictions will take effect September 15, 2003.
BACKGROUND
The AIA rules were written in 1999 to create a framework for communities, the Liquor Control Board, and the alcohol industry to work together to mitigate communities’ problems with chronic public inebriation or illegal activities linked to the sale or consumption of alcohol.
The rules allow the Liquor Control Board to recognize a geographic area within a city or town as an AIA. This designation means:
- Local jurisdictions are given more time to review liquor license applications and renewals for businesses inside an AIA.
- The local jurisdiction may also request that the Liquor Control Board restrict grocery and convenience stores in an AIA from selling certain types of beers and wines that are linked to local chronic public inebriation problems (such as high-alcohol content, low-cost products), or restrict the hours that retailers can sell alcohol to-go.
The Tacoma downtown core was the first Liquor Control Board recognized AIA in the state.
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