(Olympia) – The Washington State Liquor Control Board
unanimously approved a resolution recognizing two new Alcohol Impact Areas (AIAs) in the City
of Seattle at its bi-weekly meeting Wednesday, August 30, 2006.
The resolution restricts the sale of 29 high-alcohol, low-cost beer and wine products in a
5.71-square-mile area of the city’s central core and in a .78-square-mile area in the
University District. The resolution will go into effect November 1, 2006.
Board Chairman Merritt D. Long indicated the resolution followed extensive planning, analysis
by the City of Seattle and input from citizens and neighborhood groups. Seattle sought and
won approval for a small, 6-square-block AIA in Pioneer Square in 2004.
"This is indeed a community request in tandem with the city and it is an effort that has been
in the works for almost 2 years,” said Chairman Long. “The testimony from the community
was overwhelming in support of the AIA. It is part of an overall strategy the city has
engaged in that includes improved access to treatment, housing, case management, vocational
development and law enforcement."
Board Member Vera Ing said that as a child of immigrants who operated a small store in the
Central District, she learned early about the challenges of running a small business in the
city. And later, as a business owner in the Pioneer Square area, she experienced first-hand
problems associated with chronic public inebriation.
"I know this process will affect many people – more than 200 licenses in Seattle. This area
of Seattle is very diverse – it has a highly diverse business community. It is important that
the neighborhood associations in every area of Seattle continue to work on this issue. I
believe this was a good process and a fair process and that’s why I support it," she said.
Board Member Roger Hoen, in voting to approve, said the City of Seattle had satisfied all
the AIA requirements through extensive study, stakeholder input and the evaluation of impact.
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Resolution
