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00-791QRIGINA� Presented Referred To Date 1 WHEREAS, the Legislative Hearing Officer recommends that the license applicatio� # 20000002762) for a 2 Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Pazk Liquors, 243 oint Douglas Road 3 North, be referred to an Administra5ve Law Judge; 4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul 5 application to an Administrative Law Judge. � _ ��,� � � �� ,o , � �. �v Yeas 6 Blakey 7 Coleman 8 Harris 9 Benanav 10 Reiter 11 Bostrom 12 Lantry 13 Adopted by Council: Date _ 14 15 Adoprion Certified by Council 16 By: / 17 Approved by Mayor: RESOLUTION CITY OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA a9 Absem �I /Requested by Department oE � Council File # ,Sr, _ � � ` Green Sheet # 104007 refers this license Form Approved by Ciry Attorney � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council � � ao -`►�\ City Council Offices NJTACT PFRSON & PFiOPlE Gerry Strathman, 266-8560 � o,,,�.A,v„� 8-30-2000 cnR TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES GREEN SHEET No 1 v� 0 � 7 � anmua ❑ a�r�nmeY ❑ a`rc1euc ❑ iMWCLLiQMCFiYR ❑ w11111O11LiFR�9l1CCfa ❑ wvoalae�aamunl . ❑ (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATUR� Referring the Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North,to an Administrative Law Judge. PLANNING CAMMISSION CIB COMMITTEE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Fias this Pe�=�� erer roriced under a contraG for Nie depaRmeM? VES NO Hes ihis P�saufirtn e�er been a dty empbyee9 YES NO Does thie P��m 7� a sldll nd normalNP� bY anY curreM city emqoyce'7 YES NO IsMis P�rm atarpeted veMOR . YES NO G QC�P ° r.�.Fi @"�RC`.3Qr{�s9�i is��i�.� �� AMOUNT OF TRANSACTION � SOURCE cosrmEVaue euoesree lanc� oxq ACTiVRY NIAiBER YES NO (EXPWN) SEP-20-2000 16�09 CITY OF ST PAUL LIEP 612 266 9124 P.01/01 09 Septembez 2000 MOUNDS PARK QUICK STOP 243 N. POINT DOUGLAS ItOAD ST. PA.UL, MN 55106 (651)776-3700 Chri�scine Rozelc, Aeputy Airector CTty of Saint Paul Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection 350 St. Peter St., Ste. 300 St. Paul, MN 55102-1510 Dear Christine Ttozek, Oo - �� In view of the local neighborhood opposition to aa off-sale liquor store at 243 Nozth Pt. Aouglas Road, I hereby wzthdxaw my application for an off-sale liquor license. It is aiso requested that tfie application �ee I submitted in the amoum of $1,000.04 be reimbursed. Thank you for your assistance in tkus znattes, and for the fine service and assistance received from all of the personnet in the L.I.E.P. office duting tive course of this Qrocess. Sincerely, ��:� _ � �� %.\2^ � �� ll° Fredric . anklow Manag TOTRL P.01 00-�1�1\ MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE HEARING MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS - 243 POINT DOUGLAS ROAD Monday, August 28, 2000 Room 330 Courthouse Gerry Strathman, Legislarive Hearing Officer STAFF PRESENT: Corinne Asuncion, License, Inspections, Environmental Protection (LIEP); Christine Rozek, LIEP The meeting was called to order at 4:01 p.m. Gexry Strathman stated this hearing is being held to hear ob}ections to the license application for Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road. Christine Rozek reported this application is for an off sale liquor license by F& D Enterprises, Inc, doing business as Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North. This application has been reviewed by the Fire Department, Zoning, Licensing, and Environmental Health. LIEP is still waiting for liquor liability insurance; however, they would not need to see it until the license is granted. There will be a final environmental inspection prior to the opening of this establishment if the license is granted. There is no pending adverse acrion against the license or licensee. LIEP is recoxnmending approval. Nancy Larson, 271 Clarence Street, appeared. 92 of the 115 houses signed a petition to stop the liquor license at 243 Point Douglas Road. The ones that did not sign it gave the following reasons: there is alcohol in the neighborhood anyway, the owner could do what he wanted with his business, one person didn't caze, and one person said he could not sign it in all consciousness. Thirteen people could not be reached after numerous attempts to contact them. There are two reasons why Ms. Larson feels the license it not appropriate: location and people. (Ms. Larson gave Mr. Strathman the petirion. She also gaue him maps she would be referring to, and she explained in detail the location of the neighborhood on a map.) Mounds Park Liquors will be right across from a city pazk where there is a view of Downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River, stated Ms. Lazson. There is a bicycle path neazby. When the pazk is completed, this already populated bike bath will have more people on the roadway than it presently does. This is why it is not an appropriate place far alcohol. Ms. Larson went on to say that Interstate 94 provides within one mile all the strip mall conveniences. This area is very residential, but it is not a commercial azea. It is not appropriate to add a liquor store which will increase the traffia The businesses in the area are a small grocery store, two nursing homes, a contracting business, an engineering businesses, a child care facility, the Kick Off Bar, and Mounds Pazk Quick Stop, which is the store we are talldng about today. Aiso, stated Ms. Larson, this azea is isolated and there aze only four ways for access: through the park on Mounds, throu� Earl, through Johnson Parkway, and through Bums. As for traffic, po -'1 `� \ MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINiJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 2 Point Douglas and Clarence come out of Burns Avenue. It is a confusing and congested intersecrion. On Friday nights when there is a special event at the Kick Off Bar, there is a lot of traffic in the azea that makes it difficult for people to travel. There are a variety of children in the azea. Sidewalks aze not common. It is a dangerous situation for pedeshians. People coming from the apartment building across Highway 61, would haue to cross the highway, which is unsafe. Peopie parking across the road would be another problem for pedeshians. There are a lot of children from the apartment building unsupervised who are on bikes or walking in groups who go to the store. If there is a liquor store here, Ms. Lazson feels there will be more traffic. Twenty-four school buses come into the neighborhood everyday. Over 100 students live in the apartments. Students will be wallang from the bus stop in direction of the traffic which wiil be multiplied if alcohol is available at Mounds Park. Ms. Lazson is constantly picking up paper that is scattered in the azea. With alcohol and additional traffic, the litter will multiply. Gerry Strathman asked why an off sale liquor establishment would create more traffic than another business. Ms. Larson responded there are already a lot of people coming from the apartments, and it would be easier for people to walk to the new liquor store than to drive somewhere else. A liquar store nearby closed in February. People who went to that locafion would be more apt to go to the new liquor store. Ronda Spreeman, 258 Point Douglas Road, appeared and stated she operates a daycare business in which she cares for 12 children, and has been full to that capacity for five years. Her concerns have to do with her children, the children in the neighborhood, and the children entrusted to her in the daycare. One activity she does with the daycare children is walking. They walk in the streets a lot because some azeas do not have sidewalks. If there is increased traffic, she will not walk in that azea because the children are 7 months old and up, and they tend to move away from her no matter how hard she tries to keep up with them. There is a big hill by her home. In the winter, children go down the hill, up, and into the street even though she builds up the hill at the end. Children ride their bikes in the area; with increased traffic there is a danger of them getting hit by a caz. There is a high child pedestrian rate in the area. With the higher amount of traffic, Ms. Spreeman will not feel comfortable allowing her children to walk in the area. Ms. Spreeman has concems about children seeing people buy liquor in her neighborhood. She has four children and is cazeful about what she exposes to them. She does not want her children to see broken liquor bottles and cans. She moved to Mounds Park because she felt it was a safe environment for her children. She wants her children to be responsible adults. Several day caze parents have expressed concerns to Ms. Spreeman about a liquor stare. Some of the children are older and they can go down to the corner for snacks, but their parents do not want them going to the comer if a liquor store is there. If the liquor store does go in, she may lose some of her day caze parents. She cannot support her family and pay her bilis if she cannot get children into her home. Michael Daul, 1325 Burns Avenue, appeazed and stated he lives next door to Mounds Park Quick Stop. The neighborhood has a bar and a liquor store. The clientele and crime concern him. It is a proven fact that liquor stores do bring in clientele that are trouble. ac�-'lg1 MOLTNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINVTES, 8-28-2000 Page 3 Gerry Strathman asked is he concemed about people who are inebriated or misbehave in some way. Mr_ Daul responded yes. Mr. Daul stated this business is by a pazk and there is already a bar nearby. Mr. Daul read a letter he wrote, in which he eacpressed the foilowing concerns with this license: drug deals in front of the store, cars broken into, house burglary, public drunkenness in lus front yard, litter all over the block from the store, the store's history of robberies would only bring in more trouble, the Kick Off Bar and Restauraut cause problems, Mounds Pazk is across from the proposed liquor store, youths could go there and drn�k, MGM Liquor Warehouse is less than a mile from the store, liquor stores aze not positive, and they should not be in residential neighborhoods. (Mr. Daul gave Gerry Strathman a copy of the letter. He also Mr. Strathxnan a legal description of 1325 Burns, and eacplained on a map where he lives.) Mr. Daul stated that after midnight, people use the telephone in front of the store. It is obvious what is going on. If they haue a liquor license, asked Mr. Strathman, this will be different in some way. Mr. Daul responded the trouble is already there, but a liquor license will evoke mare trouble. The store has security bars on the windows, which tell him the neighborhood is not safe. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: four photographs of the store, a police query for 243 Point Douglas Road from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 which shows 47 records, police reports from 1- 1-97 to 8-16-00 for the KickoffBar and Restaurant, police reports from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 for Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) Mr. Daul stated Johnson Liquors is now closed. But the clientele that went there will probably come to Mounds Park Liquor Store. Mounds Park has had 47 incidents and 15 reports have been written. (Mr. Daul also went over the records for the Kick Off Baz and Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) He stated liquor stores are targets for robberies. Not many people live in the area. Robbers can come in on foot or by car because the area is isolated. (Mr. Daul read four robbery reports from 243 Point Douglas Road North.) Mr. Daul talked to people who lived by the former Johnson Liquor Store. There is a problem with litter in the area. The foot traffic, chuukenness, sleeping in yards has gone away since Johnsons closed. Also, homeless people live across the street in the woods from Mounds Park Liquor Store. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Properiy: Density by Grid; 2000 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; 1999 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; St. Paul Theft from Auto: Hot Spot Analysis, January 1 to August 2, 2000; St. Paul Arson: Analysis by Incident; 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Persons: Density by Grid; 2000 Aggravated Assauit Analysis: Density by Grid; and a sheet of paper that reads "Family is Priority One", a quote from Chief William K. Finney.) Mr. Daul stated he does not lrnow what a liquor store has oo_�� MOiJNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINLJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 4 to do with family. Pat Kackman, 401 Johnson Parkway, appeared and stated cars were always speeding down the service road. There are drug deals in the pazking lot. There are junk vehicles, debris, trees azound the perimeter. A person inebriated came over her wall and fell into the driveway. People who live next to the former Johnson Liquors had people urinating in their yard. Liquor stores bring in crime. People throw littez; other people see irash and thiuk there is not much care in the neighborhood. There were two bazs on Hudson Street and crack houses started appearing in the neighborhood. People can go to MGM Liquors. The nursing home had iroubie with some of their patients who were able to leave the building and go to the liquor store. Tius would be a possibility at the Mounds Pazk Liquor Store as well. Ms. Kackman walks in the woods with her dogs. There are places that she will not walk because there aze people diinkiug. Richelle Kuhl, 287 Clarence Street, appeared and stated she has been a member of the community for 33 years, and her husband has been a member far 45 years. The area was recently highlighted in the June issue of Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine as one of the hidden gems of the community. The crime area that Mr. Daul spoke of is concentrated azound the properiy location talked about today. The rest of the neighborhood is quite different. This area has a quiet, secluded, hidden pocket of homes. It is nestled between two major highways. It is easy to understand on nearty every block there are two or more homeowners who have lived there at least 35 years. There are many examples of homeownership remaining within a family for generation to generation. This has been a muhuing climate for young families. The trend has been to remodel ar expand the home instead of moving. Families are hard pressed to find comparable housing conditions in other parts of the city and surrounding suburbs for the same value. Ms. Kuhl stated urgent points stressed so far are deserving of attention and consideration: safety of children, violent crime potential, increased traffic for the enrire neighborhood, and visitors to the pazk. The serving of liquor presents all these problems via 243 Point Douglas Road. These risks will double or triple from what they already are. This business is located on a corner adjacent to parkland. When Johnson Brothers Liquor Store was located six blocks away, there were always problems in the park, woods, residential lawns, and alleyways. The problems were with vagrants, outsiders of various origin, and members of the community. Adding a liquor store will increase the regular nuisance loitering. Ms. Kuhl spoke to Sergeant Nash who said that transients, loiterers, and dnxg acrivity follows a liquor store from location to location. Ms. Kuhl feels loiters and transients from the Johnson Brothers Liquor Store will now belong to the neighborhood. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman some photographs of the neighborhood.) Ms. Kuhl went on to say there will also be loitering on Bums Avenue. The area between the Kick Off Bar and Mounds Park Quick Stop is a long right triangle piece of land that would be a perfect hauen for loiterers to mingle. Patrons will be approached for spare change. Minors purchase alcohol; it happens everywhere. Mounds Park azea will be forced to monitor the neighborhood far safety and security against alcohol abuse. The needs of the community outweigh the needs of tlus type of business. o � -'1q � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 5 A new liquor store opened called Seven Beazs Liquors, 1785 Seventh Sireet East. From 8-1-99 to 8-24-00, there were 22 police calls to that address. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman the following: an address search for 1785 Seventh Street East, rivo photos showing traffic congestion near the Kick Off Baz, and two photos showing blight at Morelli's on Payne.) Ms. Kuhl read several remarks from neighbors. She stated there aze tens of thousands of visitors to Indian Mounds Park. There is an area in the pazk that has covert drinkuig and drug usage. Mounds Park Liquor Store would become a very accessible alcoholic beverage resource for these acfivities. It may conhibute to another tragedy when an inebriant topples off the bluff. Bob Fitzgerald, 1367 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated he lives two houses down from the Kick Off and has lived there for 25 years. He has two boys who have worked at the gas station. Mr. Fitzgerald patronizes the gas station, the bar, and the restaurant. He sees a lot of foot traffic from the apazhnent across Highway 61. He has talked to the owner of Mounds Park Quick Stop and the owner of the Kick Off about the trash and debris. Sometimes tYae bar owner will send someone to clean up the debris. He also patronizes MGM Liquor Store, and they cazd everyone in the store. The gas station owner said he will ask people to throw litter in the trash cans, but Mr. Fitzgerald does not feel that will work. The giant containers of beer come from the MGM and not from the Kick Off. There are a lot of domestics on Burns Avenue, stated Mr. Fitzgerald. A lot of them are wa7king up to the gas station and having arguments outside his house. Sometimes it is after the stare ar bu is closed. Also, the auto traffic has picked up. There is heauy traffic on I-94 and drivers hy to sneak the back route through Mounds Park and up through White Bear Avenue. The neighborhood is worried about alcohol related traffic. MGM is less than a mile away. The pizza place has applied for a liquor license. Any other business would be fine. There aze traffic and parking problems when the Kick Off has special events. Mary Regan, 1365 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated she has lived in her house 25 years. People ring her doorbell hying to get into her home. There is a lot of trash on her property. She has people sitking on her retaining wall. She sees the drug deals across the road. Ms. Regan feels a grocery store should be opened instead of a liquor store. Mary Brown, 263 Point Douglas Road North, appeared and stated litter goes into her yard from Mounds Park Quick Stop. Saint Paul should have an ordinance that says a business cannot haue candy, grocery, gas, and liquor in the same business. She would not want her kids to come into contact with someone that has been driulcing. She has been to bazs and liquor stores. Bar owners and bartenders aze particulaz about serving to customers that are obviously intoxicated. Liquor stores are not quite so concerned. This is an opportunity for the City to take into account the feelings of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is not going to allow businesses with owners that do not live in the neighborhood and do not have an inveshnent there. The city wants homeowners to take care of their property. Dan Showalter, 1373 Burns Avenue, appeazed. The hearing officer asked a question earlier a a _'141 MOLJI3DS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARII�iG MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 6 about why the liquor store will bring more of this element to the neighborhood. Mr. Showalter stated he believes it is because 93 out of 115 said they did not want this establishment. That means over 90% will not patronize it; therefore, the business will come from outside the neighborhood. People do not need to come to tlus neighborhood to get that coaunodity. Tom McGuire, 259 Point Douglas Road North, appeazed and stated he lives siz houses west of the store. This business will cause a negative economic impact on the value of their homes. Also, it will haue a negative cultural 'vnpact. There are many cluldren in the neighborhood who play on Point Douglas. If the license is passed, that will increase the traffic: the evening rush to the liquor store before it closes. There aze four liquor stores available within two miles. The Kick Off Bar is there. Litter is a problem. Alcohol was not being sold off sale when Mr. McGuire moved into the neighborhood. No one would buy a home next to a liquor store. This would be a magnet for alcohol usage which would be seen by the children. The City has no moral justification for the passing of this license. Michelle Hawang, 266 Clazence Street, appeared and stated she lives three houses from the baz. She gets baz and store traffic. She has two children who will be more subjected to seeing druuks in the neighborhood. She likes them to play outside and be safe. People of lower class will be in the neighborhood, and she is more afraid of her kids being outside alone. Now the kids are inside the fence. When Johnson Brothers was open, she would not go by it alone. She does not want to live across from a liquor store. Ms. Hawang is aware of gang activity. She called this suminer three times on drug deals going on in the store. Frank 7anklow, owner, appeazed and stated he is a disabled Vietnam Veteran. His goal all his life has been to work for himself and not for other agencies and to be able to establish a decent living for his family. He purchased the Mounds Park Quick Stop. The previous owner was a mechanic and Mr. Janklow is not; therefore, he has 2/3 of an empty building which he has to do something with to generate income for his family. He noticed the concerns of the people here and he understands them. There were a lot of references to MGM. The portion of 243 Point Douglas Road for a liquor store is slightly over 1,100 square feet. That is less than 25% of MGM and 10% the size of the former Johnson Liquor Store. Even though some people in the audience no longer frequent his place because of his application, Mr. Janklow would like this to be a neighborhood liquor store. Many customers have eapressed support for his license, but they did not want to make a public statement. There have been comments about problems with police at his location, stated Mr. 3anklow. He has been there seven months and has only called the police on one occasion because of an unruly customer. It had noUung to do with liquor. The other times police haue been there aze when the alarm has malfunctioned on three occasions. There have been no robberies in his store since he has been there. He has four surveillance cameras in his store and a monitor is by the cashier area so that people can see themselves. He keeps a 30 day tape supply. The neighbors were talking about increased traffic in the area. Again, his liquor store is smaller than MGM and the former Johnson Brothers Liquor. Mr. Janklow does not see hoards of people travelling down the street to come to his store. �o -'t°� � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING NIINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 7 Regazding the chance of accidents with people crossing Highway 61 to come to the liquor store, stated Mr. 7anklow, these aze the same people that are coming to his store now to buy groceries. He has a lot of foot traffic from the apartments on Birmingham and Johnson Pazkway. The traffic is already there so he does not understand where there would be a large increase in traffic. The parking is congested from the baz across the street. His will be off sale so there will not be cars lined up to park at his business; people will park for five minutes. Most of the comments aze unplying there wiil be sales to minors or diw�ken people. Mr. Janlclow has an honorable, respectable background. He has dealt in health care most of his life. He wants to operate a small, successful business, and he cannot do that while dealing with the wino type of clientele. He will not sell hip flasks and cheap wines, but respectable wines tailored to the middle class audience. Mr. Janklow stated he was invited to a neighborhood watch to address their concerns. He is willing to meet with neighbors and discuss what he can do as a businessman to alleviate trash and other problems. Regarding the comment that he does not live in the neighborhood and does not respect it: his clientele is in the neighborhood, his livelihood is in the neighborhood, and he has invested $490,000 in this business. He does haue a financiai inveshnent in that neighborhood. Gerry Strathman recommended referring this license application to an Administrative Law Judge ciring the following reasons: the granfing of the license would be contrary to the best interest of the City and the neighborhood as a whole, it will create dangerous traffic conditions, it will create problems with the park, and the establishment will create a public nuisance. The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m. � QRIGINA� Presented Referred To Date 1 WHEREAS, the Legislative Hearing Officer recommends that the license applicatio� # 20000002762) for a 2 Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Pazk Liquors, 243 oint Douglas Road 3 North, be referred to an Administra5ve Law Judge; 4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul 5 application to an Administrative Law Judge. � _ ��,� � � �� ,o , � �. �v Yeas 6 Blakey 7 Coleman 8 Harris 9 Benanav 10 Reiter 11 Bostrom 12 Lantry 13 Adopted by Council: Date _ 14 15 Adoprion Certified by Council 16 By: / 17 Approved by Mayor: RESOLUTION CITY OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA a9 Absem �I /Requested by Department oE � Council File # ,Sr, _ � � ` Green Sheet # 104007 refers this license Form Approved by Ciry Attorney � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council � � ao -`►�\ City Council Offices NJTACT PFRSON & PFiOPlE Gerry Strathman, 266-8560 � o,,,�.A,v„� 8-30-2000 cnR TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES GREEN SHEET No 1 v� 0 � 7 � anmua ❑ a�r�nmeY ❑ a`rc1euc ❑ iMWCLLiQMCFiYR ❑ w11111O11LiFR�9l1CCfa ❑ wvoalae�aamunl . ❑ (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATUR� Referring the Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North,to an Administrative Law Judge. PLANNING CAMMISSION CIB COMMITTEE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Fias this Pe�=�� erer roriced under a contraG for Nie depaRmeM? VES NO Hes ihis P�saufirtn e�er been a dty empbyee9 YES NO Does thie P��m 7� a sldll nd normalNP� bY anY curreM city emqoyce'7 YES NO IsMis P�rm atarpeted veMOR . YES NO G QC�P ° r.�.Fi @"�RC`.3Qr{�s9�i is��i�.� �� AMOUNT OF TRANSACTION � SOURCE cosrmEVaue euoesree lanc� oxq ACTiVRY NIAiBER YES NO (EXPWN) SEP-20-2000 16�09 CITY OF ST PAUL LIEP 612 266 9124 P.01/01 09 Septembez 2000 MOUNDS PARK QUICK STOP 243 N. POINT DOUGLAS ItOAD ST. PA.UL, MN 55106 (651)776-3700 Chri�scine Rozelc, Aeputy Airector CTty of Saint Paul Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection 350 St. Peter St., Ste. 300 St. Paul, MN 55102-1510 Dear Christine Ttozek, Oo - �� In view of the local neighborhood opposition to aa off-sale liquor store at 243 Nozth Pt. Aouglas Road, I hereby wzthdxaw my application for an off-sale liquor license. It is aiso requested that tfie application �ee I submitted in the amoum of $1,000.04 be reimbursed. Thank you for your assistance in tkus znattes, and for the fine service and assistance received from all of the personnet in the L.I.E.P. office duting tive course of this Qrocess. Sincerely, ��:� _ � �� %.\2^ � �� ll° Fredric . anklow Manag TOTRL P.01 00-�1�1\ MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE HEARING MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS - 243 POINT DOUGLAS ROAD Monday, August 28, 2000 Room 330 Courthouse Gerry Strathman, Legislarive Hearing Officer STAFF PRESENT: Corinne Asuncion, License, Inspections, Environmental Protection (LIEP); Christine Rozek, LIEP The meeting was called to order at 4:01 p.m. Gexry Strathman stated this hearing is being held to hear ob}ections to the license application for Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road. Christine Rozek reported this application is for an off sale liquor license by F& D Enterprises, Inc, doing business as Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North. This application has been reviewed by the Fire Department, Zoning, Licensing, and Environmental Health. LIEP is still waiting for liquor liability insurance; however, they would not need to see it until the license is granted. There will be a final environmental inspection prior to the opening of this establishment if the license is granted. There is no pending adverse acrion against the license or licensee. LIEP is recoxnmending approval. Nancy Larson, 271 Clarence Street, appeared. 92 of the 115 houses signed a petition to stop the liquor license at 243 Point Douglas Road. The ones that did not sign it gave the following reasons: there is alcohol in the neighborhood anyway, the owner could do what he wanted with his business, one person didn't caze, and one person said he could not sign it in all consciousness. Thirteen people could not be reached after numerous attempts to contact them. There are two reasons why Ms. Larson feels the license it not appropriate: location and people. (Ms. Larson gave Mr. Strathman the petirion. She also gaue him maps she would be referring to, and she explained in detail the location of the neighborhood on a map.) Mounds Park Liquors will be right across from a city pazk where there is a view of Downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River, stated Ms. Lazson. There is a bicycle path neazby. When the pazk is completed, this already populated bike bath will have more people on the roadway than it presently does. This is why it is not an appropriate place far alcohol. Ms. Larson went on to say that Interstate 94 provides within one mile all the strip mall conveniences. This area is very residential, but it is not a commercial azea. It is not appropriate to add a liquor store which will increase the traffia The businesses in the area are a small grocery store, two nursing homes, a contracting business, an engineering businesses, a child care facility, the Kick Off Bar, and Mounds Pazk Quick Stop, which is the store we are talldng about today. Aiso, stated Ms. Larson, this azea is isolated and there aze only four ways for access: through the park on Mounds, throu� Earl, through Johnson Parkway, and through Bums. As for traffic, po -'1 `� \ MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINiJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 2 Point Douglas and Clarence come out of Burns Avenue. It is a confusing and congested intersecrion. On Friday nights when there is a special event at the Kick Off Bar, there is a lot of traffic in the azea that makes it difficult for people to travel. There are a variety of children in the azea. Sidewalks aze not common. It is a dangerous situation for pedeshians. People coming from the apartment building across Highway 61, would haue to cross the highway, which is unsafe. Peopie parking across the road would be another problem for pedeshians. There are a lot of children from the apartment building unsupervised who are on bikes or walking in groups who go to the store. If there is a liquor store here, Ms. Lazson feels there will be more traffic. Twenty-four school buses come into the neighborhood everyday. Over 100 students live in the apartments. Students will be wallang from the bus stop in direction of the traffic which wiil be multiplied if alcohol is available at Mounds Park. Ms. Lazson is constantly picking up paper that is scattered in the azea. With alcohol and additional traffic, the litter will multiply. Gerry Strathman asked why an off sale liquor establishment would create more traffic than another business. Ms. Larson responded there are already a lot of people coming from the apartments, and it would be easier for people to walk to the new liquor store than to drive somewhere else. A liquar store nearby closed in February. People who went to that locafion would be more apt to go to the new liquor store. Ronda Spreeman, 258 Point Douglas Road, appeared and stated she operates a daycare business in which she cares for 12 children, and has been full to that capacity for five years. Her concerns have to do with her children, the children in the neighborhood, and the children entrusted to her in the daycare. One activity she does with the daycare children is walking. They walk in the streets a lot because some azeas do not have sidewalks. If there is increased traffic, she will not walk in that azea because the children are 7 months old and up, and they tend to move away from her no matter how hard she tries to keep up with them. There is a big hill by her home. In the winter, children go down the hill, up, and into the street even though she builds up the hill at the end. Children ride their bikes in the area; with increased traffic there is a danger of them getting hit by a caz. There is a high child pedestrian rate in the area. With the higher amount of traffic, Ms. Spreeman will not feel comfortable allowing her children to walk in the area. Ms. Spreeman has concems about children seeing people buy liquor in her neighborhood. She has four children and is cazeful about what she exposes to them. She does not want her children to see broken liquor bottles and cans. She moved to Mounds Park because she felt it was a safe environment for her children. She wants her children to be responsible adults. Several day caze parents have expressed concerns to Ms. Spreeman about a liquor stare. Some of the children are older and they can go down to the corner for snacks, but their parents do not want them going to the comer if a liquor store is there. If the liquor store does go in, she may lose some of her day caze parents. She cannot support her family and pay her bilis if she cannot get children into her home. Michael Daul, 1325 Burns Avenue, appeazed and stated he lives next door to Mounds Park Quick Stop. The neighborhood has a bar and a liquor store. The clientele and crime concern him. It is a proven fact that liquor stores do bring in clientele that are trouble. ac�-'lg1 MOLTNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINVTES, 8-28-2000 Page 3 Gerry Strathman asked is he concemed about people who are inebriated or misbehave in some way. Mr_ Daul responded yes. Mr. Daul stated this business is by a pazk and there is already a bar nearby. Mr. Daul read a letter he wrote, in which he eacpressed the foilowing concerns with this license: drug deals in front of the store, cars broken into, house burglary, public drunkenness in lus front yard, litter all over the block from the store, the store's history of robberies would only bring in more trouble, the Kick Off Bar and Restauraut cause problems, Mounds Pazk is across from the proposed liquor store, youths could go there and drn�k, MGM Liquor Warehouse is less than a mile from the store, liquor stores aze not positive, and they should not be in residential neighborhoods. (Mr. Daul gave Gerry Strathman a copy of the letter. He also Mr. Strathxnan a legal description of 1325 Burns, and eacplained on a map where he lives.) Mr. Daul stated that after midnight, people use the telephone in front of the store. It is obvious what is going on. If they haue a liquor license, asked Mr. Strathman, this will be different in some way. Mr. Daul responded the trouble is already there, but a liquor license will evoke mare trouble. The store has security bars on the windows, which tell him the neighborhood is not safe. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: four photographs of the store, a police query for 243 Point Douglas Road from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 which shows 47 records, police reports from 1- 1-97 to 8-16-00 for the KickoffBar and Restaurant, police reports from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 for Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) Mr. Daul stated Johnson Liquors is now closed. But the clientele that went there will probably come to Mounds Park Liquor Store. Mounds Park has had 47 incidents and 15 reports have been written. (Mr. Daul also went over the records for the Kick Off Baz and Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) He stated liquor stores are targets for robberies. Not many people live in the area. Robbers can come in on foot or by car because the area is isolated. (Mr. Daul read four robbery reports from 243 Point Douglas Road North.) Mr. Daul talked to people who lived by the former Johnson Liquor Store. There is a problem with litter in the area. The foot traffic, chuukenness, sleeping in yards has gone away since Johnsons closed. Also, homeless people live across the street in the woods from Mounds Park Liquor Store. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Properiy: Density by Grid; 2000 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; 1999 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; St. Paul Theft from Auto: Hot Spot Analysis, January 1 to August 2, 2000; St. Paul Arson: Analysis by Incident; 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Persons: Density by Grid; 2000 Aggravated Assauit Analysis: Density by Grid; and a sheet of paper that reads "Family is Priority One", a quote from Chief William K. Finney.) Mr. Daul stated he does not lrnow what a liquor store has oo_�� MOiJNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINLJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 4 to do with family. Pat Kackman, 401 Johnson Parkway, appeared and stated cars were always speeding down the service road. There are drug deals in the pazking lot. There are junk vehicles, debris, trees azound the perimeter. A person inebriated came over her wall and fell into the driveway. People who live next to the former Johnson Liquors had people urinating in their yard. Liquor stores bring in crime. People throw littez; other people see irash and thiuk there is not much care in the neighborhood. There were two bazs on Hudson Street and crack houses started appearing in the neighborhood. People can go to MGM Liquors. The nursing home had iroubie with some of their patients who were able to leave the building and go to the liquor store. Tius would be a possibility at the Mounds Pazk Liquor Store as well. Ms. Kackman walks in the woods with her dogs. There are places that she will not walk because there aze people diinkiug. Richelle Kuhl, 287 Clarence Street, appeared and stated she has been a member of the community for 33 years, and her husband has been a member far 45 years. The area was recently highlighted in the June issue of Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine as one of the hidden gems of the community. The crime area that Mr. Daul spoke of is concentrated azound the properiy location talked about today. The rest of the neighborhood is quite different. This area has a quiet, secluded, hidden pocket of homes. It is nestled between two major highways. It is easy to understand on nearty every block there are two or more homeowners who have lived there at least 35 years. There are many examples of homeownership remaining within a family for generation to generation. This has been a muhuing climate for young families. The trend has been to remodel ar expand the home instead of moving. Families are hard pressed to find comparable housing conditions in other parts of the city and surrounding suburbs for the same value. Ms. Kuhl stated urgent points stressed so far are deserving of attention and consideration: safety of children, violent crime potential, increased traffic for the enrire neighborhood, and visitors to the pazk. The serving of liquor presents all these problems via 243 Point Douglas Road. These risks will double or triple from what they already are. This business is located on a corner adjacent to parkland. When Johnson Brothers Liquor Store was located six blocks away, there were always problems in the park, woods, residential lawns, and alleyways. The problems were with vagrants, outsiders of various origin, and members of the community. Adding a liquor store will increase the regular nuisance loitering. Ms. Kuhl spoke to Sergeant Nash who said that transients, loiterers, and dnxg acrivity follows a liquor store from location to location. Ms. Kuhl feels loiters and transients from the Johnson Brothers Liquor Store will now belong to the neighborhood. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman some photographs of the neighborhood.) Ms. Kuhl went on to say there will also be loitering on Bums Avenue. The area between the Kick Off Bar and Mounds Park Quick Stop is a long right triangle piece of land that would be a perfect hauen for loiterers to mingle. Patrons will be approached for spare change. Minors purchase alcohol; it happens everywhere. Mounds Park azea will be forced to monitor the neighborhood far safety and security against alcohol abuse. The needs of the community outweigh the needs of tlus type of business. o � -'1q � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 5 A new liquor store opened called Seven Beazs Liquors, 1785 Seventh Sireet East. From 8-1-99 to 8-24-00, there were 22 police calls to that address. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman the following: an address search for 1785 Seventh Street East, rivo photos showing traffic congestion near the Kick Off Baz, and two photos showing blight at Morelli's on Payne.) Ms. Kuhl read several remarks from neighbors. She stated there aze tens of thousands of visitors to Indian Mounds Park. There is an area in the pazk that has covert drinkuig and drug usage. Mounds Park Liquor Store would become a very accessible alcoholic beverage resource for these acfivities. It may conhibute to another tragedy when an inebriant topples off the bluff. Bob Fitzgerald, 1367 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated he lives two houses down from the Kick Off and has lived there for 25 years. He has two boys who have worked at the gas station. Mr. Fitzgerald patronizes the gas station, the bar, and the restaurant. He sees a lot of foot traffic from the apazhnent across Highway 61. He has talked to the owner of Mounds Park Quick Stop and the owner of the Kick Off about the trash and debris. Sometimes tYae bar owner will send someone to clean up the debris. He also patronizes MGM Liquor Store, and they cazd everyone in the store. The gas station owner said he will ask people to throw litter in the trash cans, but Mr. Fitzgerald does not feel that will work. The giant containers of beer come from the MGM and not from the Kick Off. There are a lot of domestics on Burns Avenue, stated Mr. Fitzgerald. A lot of them are wa7king up to the gas station and having arguments outside his house. Sometimes it is after the stare ar bu is closed. Also, the auto traffic has picked up. There is heauy traffic on I-94 and drivers hy to sneak the back route through Mounds Park and up through White Bear Avenue. The neighborhood is worried about alcohol related traffic. MGM is less than a mile away. The pizza place has applied for a liquor license. Any other business would be fine. There aze traffic and parking problems when the Kick Off has special events. Mary Regan, 1365 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated she has lived in her house 25 years. People ring her doorbell hying to get into her home. There is a lot of trash on her property. She has people sitking on her retaining wall. She sees the drug deals across the road. Ms. Regan feels a grocery store should be opened instead of a liquor store. Mary Brown, 263 Point Douglas Road North, appeared and stated litter goes into her yard from Mounds Park Quick Stop. Saint Paul should have an ordinance that says a business cannot haue candy, grocery, gas, and liquor in the same business. She would not want her kids to come into contact with someone that has been driulcing. She has been to bazs and liquor stores. Bar owners and bartenders aze particulaz about serving to customers that are obviously intoxicated. Liquor stores are not quite so concerned. This is an opportunity for the City to take into account the feelings of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is not going to allow businesses with owners that do not live in the neighborhood and do not have an inveshnent there. The city wants homeowners to take care of their property. Dan Showalter, 1373 Burns Avenue, appeazed. The hearing officer asked a question earlier a a _'141 MOLJI3DS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARII�iG MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 6 about why the liquor store will bring more of this element to the neighborhood. Mr. Showalter stated he believes it is because 93 out of 115 said they did not want this establishment. That means over 90% will not patronize it; therefore, the business will come from outside the neighborhood. People do not need to come to tlus neighborhood to get that coaunodity. Tom McGuire, 259 Point Douglas Road North, appeazed and stated he lives siz houses west of the store. This business will cause a negative economic impact on the value of their homes. Also, it will haue a negative cultural 'vnpact. There are many cluldren in the neighborhood who play on Point Douglas. If the license is passed, that will increase the traffic: the evening rush to the liquor store before it closes. There aze four liquor stores available within two miles. The Kick Off Bar is there. Litter is a problem. Alcohol was not being sold off sale when Mr. McGuire moved into the neighborhood. No one would buy a home next to a liquor store. This would be a magnet for alcohol usage which would be seen by the children. The City has no moral justification for the passing of this license. Michelle Hawang, 266 Clazence Street, appeared and stated she lives three houses from the baz. She gets baz and store traffic. She has two children who will be more subjected to seeing druuks in the neighborhood. She likes them to play outside and be safe. People of lower class will be in the neighborhood, and she is more afraid of her kids being outside alone. Now the kids are inside the fence. When Johnson Brothers was open, she would not go by it alone. She does not want to live across from a liquor store. Ms. Hawang is aware of gang activity. She called this suminer three times on drug deals going on in the store. Frank 7anklow, owner, appeazed and stated he is a disabled Vietnam Veteran. His goal all his life has been to work for himself and not for other agencies and to be able to establish a decent living for his family. He purchased the Mounds Park Quick Stop. The previous owner was a mechanic and Mr. Janklow is not; therefore, he has 2/3 of an empty building which he has to do something with to generate income for his family. He noticed the concerns of the people here and he understands them. There were a lot of references to MGM. The portion of 243 Point Douglas Road for a liquor store is slightly over 1,100 square feet. That is less than 25% of MGM and 10% the size of the former Johnson Liquor Store. Even though some people in the audience no longer frequent his place because of his application, Mr. Janklow would like this to be a neighborhood liquor store. Many customers have eapressed support for his license, but they did not want to make a public statement. There have been comments about problems with police at his location, stated Mr. 3anklow. He has been there seven months and has only called the police on one occasion because of an unruly customer. It had noUung to do with liquor. The other times police haue been there aze when the alarm has malfunctioned on three occasions. There have been no robberies in his store since he has been there. He has four surveillance cameras in his store and a monitor is by the cashier area so that people can see themselves. He keeps a 30 day tape supply. The neighbors were talking about increased traffic in the area. Again, his liquor store is smaller than MGM and the former Johnson Brothers Liquor. Mr. Janklow does not see hoards of people travelling down the street to come to his store. �o -'t°� � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING NIINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 7 Regazding the chance of accidents with people crossing Highway 61 to come to the liquor store, stated Mr. 7anklow, these aze the same people that are coming to his store now to buy groceries. He has a lot of foot traffic from the apartments on Birmingham and Johnson Pazkway. The traffic is already there so he does not understand where there would be a large increase in traffic. The parking is congested from the baz across the street. His will be off sale so there will not be cars lined up to park at his business; people will park for five minutes. Most of the comments aze unplying there wiil be sales to minors or diw�ken people. Mr. Janlclow has an honorable, respectable background. He has dealt in health care most of his life. He wants to operate a small, successful business, and he cannot do that while dealing with the wino type of clientele. He will not sell hip flasks and cheap wines, but respectable wines tailored to the middle class audience. Mr. Janklow stated he was invited to a neighborhood watch to address their concerns. He is willing to meet with neighbors and discuss what he can do as a businessman to alleviate trash and other problems. Regarding the comment that he does not live in the neighborhood and does not respect it: his clientele is in the neighborhood, his livelihood is in the neighborhood, and he has invested $490,000 in this business. He does haue a financiai inveshnent in that neighborhood. Gerry Strathman recommended referring this license application to an Administrative Law Judge ciring the following reasons: the granfing of the license would be contrary to the best interest of the City and the neighborhood as a whole, it will create dangerous traffic conditions, it will create problems with the park, and the establishment will create a public nuisance. The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m. � QRIGINA� Presented Referred To Date 1 WHEREAS, the Legislative Hearing Officer recommends that the license applicatio� # 20000002762) for a 2 Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Pazk Liquors, 243 oint Douglas Road 3 North, be referred to an Administra5ve Law Judge; 4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul 5 application to an Administrative Law Judge. � _ ��,� � � �� ,o , � �. �v Yeas 6 Blakey 7 Coleman 8 Harris 9 Benanav 10 Reiter 11 Bostrom 12 Lantry 13 Adopted by Council: Date _ 14 15 Adoprion Certified by Council 16 By: / 17 Approved by Mayor: RESOLUTION CITY OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA a9 Absem �I /Requested by Department oE � Council File # ,Sr, _ � � ` Green Sheet # 104007 refers this license Form Approved by Ciry Attorney � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council � � ao -`►�\ City Council Offices NJTACT PFRSON & PFiOPlE Gerry Strathman, 266-8560 � o,,,�.A,v„� 8-30-2000 cnR TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES GREEN SHEET No 1 v� 0 � 7 � anmua ❑ a�r�nmeY ❑ a`rc1euc ❑ iMWCLLiQMCFiYR ❑ w11111O11LiFR�9l1CCfa ❑ wvoalae�aamunl . ❑ (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATUR� Referring the Liquor Off Sale License by F& D Enterprises, Inc., DBA Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North,to an Administrative Law Judge. PLANNING CAMMISSION CIB COMMITTEE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Fias this Pe�=�� erer roriced under a contraG for Nie depaRmeM? VES NO Hes ihis P�saufirtn e�er been a dty empbyee9 YES NO Does thie P��m 7� a sldll nd normalNP� bY anY curreM city emqoyce'7 YES NO IsMis P�rm atarpeted veMOR . YES NO G QC�P ° r.�.Fi @"�RC`.3Qr{�s9�i is��i�.� �� AMOUNT OF TRANSACTION � SOURCE cosrmEVaue euoesree lanc� oxq ACTiVRY NIAiBER YES NO (EXPWN) SEP-20-2000 16�09 CITY OF ST PAUL LIEP 612 266 9124 P.01/01 09 Septembez 2000 MOUNDS PARK QUICK STOP 243 N. POINT DOUGLAS ItOAD ST. PA.UL, MN 55106 (651)776-3700 Chri�scine Rozelc, Aeputy Airector CTty of Saint Paul Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection 350 St. Peter St., Ste. 300 St. Paul, MN 55102-1510 Dear Christine Ttozek, Oo - �� In view of the local neighborhood opposition to aa off-sale liquor store at 243 Nozth Pt. Aouglas Road, I hereby wzthdxaw my application for an off-sale liquor license. It is aiso requested that tfie application �ee I submitted in the amoum of $1,000.04 be reimbursed. Thank you for your assistance in tkus znattes, and for the fine service and assistance received from all of the personnet in the L.I.E.P. office duting tive course of this Qrocess. Sincerely, ��:� _ � �� %.\2^ � �� ll° Fredric . anklow Manag TOTRL P.01 00-�1�1\ MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE HEARING MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS - 243 POINT DOUGLAS ROAD Monday, August 28, 2000 Room 330 Courthouse Gerry Strathman, Legislarive Hearing Officer STAFF PRESENT: Corinne Asuncion, License, Inspections, Environmental Protection (LIEP); Christine Rozek, LIEP The meeting was called to order at 4:01 p.m. Gexry Strathman stated this hearing is being held to hear ob}ections to the license application for Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road. Christine Rozek reported this application is for an off sale liquor license by F& D Enterprises, Inc, doing business as Mounds Park Liquors, 243 Point Douglas Road North. This application has been reviewed by the Fire Department, Zoning, Licensing, and Environmental Health. LIEP is still waiting for liquor liability insurance; however, they would not need to see it until the license is granted. There will be a final environmental inspection prior to the opening of this establishment if the license is granted. There is no pending adverse acrion against the license or licensee. LIEP is recoxnmending approval. Nancy Larson, 271 Clarence Street, appeared. 92 of the 115 houses signed a petition to stop the liquor license at 243 Point Douglas Road. The ones that did not sign it gave the following reasons: there is alcohol in the neighborhood anyway, the owner could do what he wanted with his business, one person didn't caze, and one person said he could not sign it in all consciousness. Thirteen people could not be reached after numerous attempts to contact them. There are two reasons why Ms. Larson feels the license it not appropriate: location and people. (Ms. Larson gave Mr. Strathman the petirion. She also gaue him maps she would be referring to, and she explained in detail the location of the neighborhood on a map.) Mounds Park Liquors will be right across from a city pazk where there is a view of Downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River, stated Ms. Lazson. There is a bicycle path neazby. When the pazk is completed, this already populated bike bath will have more people on the roadway than it presently does. This is why it is not an appropriate place far alcohol. Ms. Larson went on to say that Interstate 94 provides within one mile all the strip mall conveniences. This area is very residential, but it is not a commercial azea. It is not appropriate to add a liquor store which will increase the traffia The businesses in the area are a small grocery store, two nursing homes, a contracting business, an engineering businesses, a child care facility, the Kick Off Bar, and Mounds Pazk Quick Stop, which is the store we are talldng about today. Aiso, stated Ms. Larson, this azea is isolated and there aze only four ways for access: through the park on Mounds, throu� Earl, through Johnson Parkway, and through Bums. As for traffic, po -'1 `� \ MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINiJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 2 Point Douglas and Clarence come out of Burns Avenue. It is a confusing and congested intersecrion. On Friday nights when there is a special event at the Kick Off Bar, there is a lot of traffic in the azea that makes it difficult for people to travel. There are a variety of children in the azea. Sidewalks aze not common. It is a dangerous situation for pedeshians. People coming from the apartment building across Highway 61, would haue to cross the highway, which is unsafe. Peopie parking across the road would be another problem for pedeshians. There are a lot of children from the apartment building unsupervised who are on bikes or walking in groups who go to the store. If there is a liquor store here, Ms. Lazson feels there will be more traffic. Twenty-four school buses come into the neighborhood everyday. Over 100 students live in the apartments. Students will be wallang from the bus stop in direction of the traffic which wiil be multiplied if alcohol is available at Mounds Park. Ms. Lazson is constantly picking up paper that is scattered in the azea. With alcohol and additional traffic, the litter will multiply. Gerry Strathman asked why an off sale liquor establishment would create more traffic than another business. Ms. Larson responded there are already a lot of people coming from the apartments, and it would be easier for people to walk to the new liquor store than to drive somewhere else. A liquar store nearby closed in February. People who went to that locafion would be more apt to go to the new liquor store. Ronda Spreeman, 258 Point Douglas Road, appeared and stated she operates a daycare business in which she cares for 12 children, and has been full to that capacity for five years. Her concerns have to do with her children, the children in the neighborhood, and the children entrusted to her in the daycare. One activity she does with the daycare children is walking. They walk in the streets a lot because some azeas do not have sidewalks. If there is increased traffic, she will not walk in that azea because the children are 7 months old and up, and they tend to move away from her no matter how hard she tries to keep up with them. There is a big hill by her home. In the winter, children go down the hill, up, and into the street even though she builds up the hill at the end. Children ride their bikes in the area; with increased traffic there is a danger of them getting hit by a caz. There is a high child pedestrian rate in the area. With the higher amount of traffic, Ms. Spreeman will not feel comfortable allowing her children to walk in the area. Ms. Spreeman has concems about children seeing people buy liquor in her neighborhood. She has four children and is cazeful about what she exposes to them. She does not want her children to see broken liquor bottles and cans. She moved to Mounds Park because she felt it was a safe environment for her children. She wants her children to be responsible adults. Several day caze parents have expressed concerns to Ms. Spreeman about a liquor stare. Some of the children are older and they can go down to the corner for snacks, but their parents do not want them going to the comer if a liquor store is there. If the liquor store does go in, she may lose some of her day caze parents. She cannot support her family and pay her bilis if she cannot get children into her home. Michael Daul, 1325 Burns Avenue, appeazed and stated he lives next door to Mounds Park Quick Stop. The neighborhood has a bar and a liquor store. The clientele and crime concern him. It is a proven fact that liquor stores do bring in clientele that are trouble. ac�-'lg1 MOLTNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINVTES, 8-28-2000 Page 3 Gerry Strathman asked is he concemed about people who are inebriated or misbehave in some way. Mr_ Daul responded yes. Mr. Daul stated this business is by a pazk and there is already a bar nearby. Mr. Daul read a letter he wrote, in which he eacpressed the foilowing concerns with this license: drug deals in front of the store, cars broken into, house burglary, public drunkenness in lus front yard, litter all over the block from the store, the store's history of robberies would only bring in more trouble, the Kick Off Bar and Restauraut cause problems, Mounds Pazk is across from the proposed liquor store, youths could go there and drn�k, MGM Liquor Warehouse is less than a mile from the store, liquor stores aze not positive, and they should not be in residential neighborhoods. (Mr. Daul gave Gerry Strathman a copy of the letter. He also Mr. Strathxnan a legal description of 1325 Burns, and eacplained on a map where he lives.) Mr. Daul stated that after midnight, people use the telephone in front of the store. It is obvious what is going on. If they haue a liquor license, asked Mr. Strathman, this will be different in some way. Mr. Daul responded the trouble is already there, but a liquor license will evoke mare trouble. The store has security bars on the windows, which tell him the neighborhood is not safe. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: four photographs of the store, a police query for 243 Point Douglas Road from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 which shows 47 records, police reports from 1- 1-97 to 8-16-00 for the KickoffBar and Restaurant, police reports from 1-1-97 to 8-16-00 for Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) Mr. Daul stated Johnson Liquors is now closed. But the clientele that went there will probably come to Mounds Park Liquor Store. Mounds Park has had 47 incidents and 15 reports have been written. (Mr. Daul also went over the records for the Kick Off Baz and Johnson Brothers Liquor Store.) He stated liquor stores are targets for robberies. Not many people live in the area. Robbers can come in on foot or by car because the area is isolated. (Mr. Daul read four robbery reports from 243 Point Douglas Road North.) Mr. Daul talked to people who lived by the former Johnson Liquor Store. There is a problem with litter in the area. The foot traffic, chuukenness, sleeping in yards has gone away since Johnsons closed. Also, homeless people live across the street in the woods from Mounds Park Liquor Store. (Mr. Daul gave Mr. Strathman the following: 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Properiy: Density by Grid; 2000 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; 1999 Quality of Life Calls: Density by Grid; St. Paul Theft from Auto: Hot Spot Analysis, January 1 to August 2, 2000; St. Paul Arson: Analysis by Incident; 1999 Part I Offenses vs. Persons: Density by Grid; 2000 Aggravated Assauit Analysis: Density by Grid; and a sheet of paper that reads "Family is Priority One", a quote from Chief William K. Finney.) Mr. Daul stated he does not lrnow what a liquor store has oo_�� MOiJNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINLJTES, 8-28-2000 Page 4 to do with family. Pat Kackman, 401 Johnson Parkway, appeared and stated cars were always speeding down the service road. There are drug deals in the pazking lot. There are junk vehicles, debris, trees azound the perimeter. A person inebriated came over her wall and fell into the driveway. People who live next to the former Johnson Liquors had people urinating in their yard. Liquor stores bring in crime. People throw littez; other people see irash and thiuk there is not much care in the neighborhood. There were two bazs on Hudson Street and crack houses started appearing in the neighborhood. People can go to MGM Liquors. The nursing home had iroubie with some of their patients who were able to leave the building and go to the liquor store. Tius would be a possibility at the Mounds Pazk Liquor Store as well. Ms. Kackman walks in the woods with her dogs. There are places that she will not walk because there aze people diinkiug. Richelle Kuhl, 287 Clarence Street, appeared and stated she has been a member of the community for 33 years, and her husband has been a member far 45 years. The area was recently highlighted in the June issue of Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine as one of the hidden gems of the community. The crime area that Mr. Daul spoke of is concentrated azound the properiy location talked about today. The rest of the neighborhood is quite different. This area has a quiet, secluded, hidden pocket of homes. It is nestled between two major highways. It is easy to understand on nearty every block there are two or more homeowners who have lived there at least 35 years. There are many examples of homeownership remaining within a family for generation to generation. This has been a muhuing climate for young families. The trend has been to remodel ar expand the home instead of moving. Families are hard pressed to find comparable housing conditions in other parts of the city and surrounding suburbs for the same value. Ms. Kuhl stated urgent points stressed so far are deserving of attention and consideration: safety of children, violent crime potential, increased traffic for the enrire neighborhood, and visitors to the pazk. The serving of liquor presents all these problems via 243 Point Douglas Road. These risks will double or triple from what they already are. This business is located on a corner adjacent to parkland. When Johnson Brothers Liquor Store was located six blocks away, there were always problems in the park, woods, residential lawns, and alleyways. The problems were with vagrants, outsiders of various origin, and members of the community. Adding a liquor store will increase the regular nuisance loitering. Ms. Kuhl spoke to Sergeant Nash who said that transients, loiterers, and dnxg acrivity follows a liquor store from location to location. Ms. Kuhl feels loiters and transients from the Johnson Brothers Liquor Store will now belong to the neighborhood. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman some photographs of the neighborhood.) Ms. Kuhl went on to say there will also be loitering on Bums Avenue. The area between the Kick Off Bar and Mounds Park Quick Stop is a long right triangle piece of land that would be a perfect hauen for loiterers to mingle. Patrons will be approached for spare change. Minors purchase alcohol; it happens everywhere. Mounds Park azea will be forced to monitor the neighborhood far safety and security against alcohol abuse. The needs of the community outweigh the needs of tlus type of business. o � -'1q � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 5 A new liquor store opened called Seven Beazs Liquors, 1785 Seventh Sireet East. From 8-1-99 to 8-24-00, there were 22 police calls to that address. (Ms. Kuhl gave Mr. Strathman the following: an address search for 1785 Seventh Street East, rivo photos showing traffic congestion near the Kick Off Baz, and two photos showing blight at Morelli's on Payne.) Ms. Kuhl read several remarks from neighbors. She stated there aze tens of thousands of visitors to Indian Mounds Park. There is an area in the pazk that has covert drinkuig and drug usage. Mounds Park Liquor Store would become a very accessible alcoholic beverage resource for these acfivities. It may conhibute to another tragedy when an inebriant topples off the bluff. Bob Fitzgerald, 1367 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated he lives two houses down from the Kick Off and has lived there for 25 years. He has two boys who have worked at the gas station. Mr. Fitzgerald patronizes the gas station, the bar, and the restaurant. He sees a lot of foot traffic from the apazhnent across Highway 61. He has talked to the owner of Mounds Park Quick Stop and the owner of the Kick Off about the trash and debris. Sometimes tYae bar owner will send someone to clean up the debris. He also patronizes MGM Liquor Store, and they cazd everyone in the store. The gas station owner said he will ask people to throw litter in the trash cans, but Mr. Fitzgerald does not feel that will work. The giant containers of beer come from the MGM and not from the Kick Off. There are a lot of domestics on Burns Avenue, stated Mr. Fitzgerald. A lot of them are wa7king up to the gas station and having arguments outside his house. Sometimes it is after the stare ar bu is closed. Also, the auto traffic has picked up. There is heauy traffic on I-94 and drivers hy to sneak the back route through Mounds Park and up through White Bear Avenue. The neighborhood is worried about alcohol related traffic. MGM is less than a mile away. The pizza place has applied for a liquor license. Any other business would be fine. There aze traffic and parking problems when the Kick Off has special events. Mary Regan, 1365 Burns Avenue, appeared and stated she has lived in her house 25 years. People ring her doorbell hying to get into her home. There is a lot of trash on her property. She has people sitking on her retaining wall. She sees the drug deals across the road. Ms. Regan feels a grocery store should be opened instead of a liquor store. Mary Brown, 263 Point Douglas Road North, appeared and stated litter goes into her yard from Mounds Park Quick Stop. Saint Paul should have an ordinance that says a business cannot haue candy, grocery, gas, and liquor in the same business. She would not want her kids to come into contact with someone that has been driulcing. She has been to bazs and liquor stores. Bar owners and bartenders aze particulaz about serving to customers that are obviously intoxicated. Liquor stores are not quite so concerned. This is an opportunity for the City to take into account the feelings of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is not going to allow businesses with owners that do not live in the neighborhood and do not have an inveshnent there. The city wants homeowners to take care of their property. Dan Showalter, 1373 Burns Avenue, appeazed. The hearing officer asked a question earlier a a _'141 MOLJI3DS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARII�iG MINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 6 about why the liquor store will bring more of this element to the neighborhood. Mr. Showalter stated he believes it is because 93 out of 115 said they did not want this establishment. That means over 90% will not patronize it; therefore, the business will come from outside the neighborhood. People do not need to come to tlus neighborhood to get that coaunodity. Tom McGuire, 259 Point Douglas Road North, appeazed and stated he lives siz houses west of the store. This business will cause a negative economic impact on the value of their homes. Also, it will haue a negative cultural 'vnpact. There are many cluldren in the neighborhood who play on Point Douglas. If the license is passed, that will increase the traffic: the evening rush to the liquor store before it closes. There aze four liquor stores available within two miles. The Kick Off Bar is there. Litter is a problem. Alcohol was not being sold off sale when Mr. McGuire moved into the neighborhood. No one would buy a home next to a liquor store. This would be a magnet for alcohol usage which would be seen by the children. The City has no moral justification for the passing of this license. Michelle Hawang, 266 Clazence Street, appeared and stated she lives three houses from the baz. She gets baz and store traffic. She has two children who will be more subjected to seeing druuks in the neighborhood. She likes them to play outside and be safe. People of lower class will be in the neighborhood, and she is more afraid of her kids being outside alone. Now the kids are inside the fence. When Johnson Brothers was open, she would not go by it alone. She does not want to live across from a liquor store. Ms. Hawang is aware of gang activity. She called this suminer three times on drug deals going on in the store. Frank 7anklow, owner, appeazed and stated he is a disabled Vietnam Veteran. His goal all his life has been to work for himself and not for other agencies and to be able to establish a decent living for his family. He purchased the Mounds Park Quick Stop. The previous owner was a mechanic and Mr. Janklow is not; therefore, he has 2/3 of an empty building which he has to do something with to generate income for his family. He noticed the concerns of the people here and he understands them. There were a lot of references to MGM. The portion of 243 Point Douglas Road for a liquor store is slightly over 1,100 square feet. That is less than 25% of MGM and 10% the size of the former Johnson Liquor Store. Even though some people in the audience no longer frequent his place because of his application, Mr. Janklow would like this to be a neighborhood liquor store. Many customers have eapressed support for his license, but they did not want to make a public statement. There have been comments about problems with police at his location, stated Mr. 3anklow. He has been there seven months and has only called the police on one occasion because of an unruly customer. It had noUung to do with liquor. The other times police haue been there aze when the alarm has malfunctioned on three occasions. There have been no robberies in his store since he has been there. He has four surveillance cameras in his store and a monitor is by the cashier area so that people can see themselves. He keeps a 30 day tape supply. The neighbors were talking about increased traffic in the area. Again, his liquor store is smaller than MGM and the former Johnson Brothers Liquor. Mr. Janklow does not see hoards of people travelling down the street to come to his store. �o -'t°� � MOUNDS PARK LIQUORS, LEGISLATIVE HEARING NIINUTES, 8-28-2000 Page 7 Regazding the chance of accidents with people crossing Highway 61 to come to the liquor store, stated Mr. 7anklow, these aze the same people that are coming to his store now to buy groceries. He has a lot of foot traffic from the apartments on Birmingham and Johnson Pazkway. The traffic is already there so he does not understand where there would be a large increase in traffic. The parking is congested from the baz across the street. His will be off sale so there will not be cars lined up to park at his business; people will park for five minutes. Most of the comments aze unplying there wiil be sales to minors or diw�ken people. Mr. Janlclow has an honorable, respectable background. He has dealt in health care most of his life. He wants to operate a small, successful business, and he cannot do that while dealing with the wino type of clientele. He will not sell hip flasks and cheap wines, but respectable wines tailored to the middle class audience. Mr. Janklow stated he was invited to a neighborhood watch to address their concerns. He is willing to meet with neighbors and discuss what he can do as a businessman to alleviate trash and other problems. Regarding the comment that he does not live in the neighborhood and does not respect it: his clientele is in the neighborhood, his livelihood is in the neighborhood, and he has invested $490,000 in this business. He does haue a financiai inveshnent in that neighborhood. Gerry Strathman recommended referring this license application to an Administrative Law Judge ciring the following reasons: the granfing of the license would be contrary to the best interest of the City and the neighborhood as a whole, it will create dangerous traffic conditions, it will create problems with the park, and the establishment will create a public nuisance. The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m. �