Laguna Beach : Council Bans Joint Sale of Liquor, Gas
The City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance banning the joint sale of alcoholic beverages and gasoline, joining a half dozen other Orange County cities in an effort that is designed to cut down on drunk driving.
The ordinance, adopted Tuesday night, takes effect Nov. 1.
Six other Orange County cities--Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Orange, Seal Beach, Garden Grove and San Juan Capistrano--have already adopted similar ordinances.
Laguna’s ordinance would not affect those that already have a city business license to sell alcoholic beverages as well as gasoline, but there are now no businesses in town selling both.
Youseff Lokeh, operator of a Mobil service station at the corner of Broadway and Coast Highway, has a state license and had a city permit to sell wine and beer until two months ago.
But the city’s Design Review Board on Aug. 22 approved a conditional-use permit for the station to be remodeled by Mobil, the property owner, on the condition that Lokeh, the mini-market franchise owner, not sell alcoholic beverages.
Lokeh appealed his case to the council, which voted unanimously to uphold the review board’s decision.
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