STANTON : City to Study Clusters of Liquor Stores, Bars

In another attempt to help curb crime, city officials may require bars and liquor stores to locate a certain distance away from each other.

Since revoking one bar’s permit recently because of alleged drug sales, prostitution and other criminal activity at the establishment, the Planning Commission has expressed concern about the high number of alcohol-related businesses in certain areas of the city and their proximity to homes, schools and churches.

The commission tonight will address the idea of location restrictions, and will try to set a date for a joint discussion with the City Council.

“One thing we’re really heavy on right now is aesthetics,” said Planning Commissioner Luis Arreola. “We want to get the criminal element out of the city of Stanton.”

Regulating locations of businesses “is probably our only ammunition in this situation,” he said.

The city already regulates alcohol-related businesses to some extent with the use-permit process, which allows the Planning Commission to restrict hours of operation and place other conditions on the businesses, such as requiring proper security.

But commissioners have become particularly concerned about the cluster of bars, liquor stores and gas stations that sell alcohol around Cerritos Avenue and Magnolia Street. Several weeks ago, the commission revoked the use permit for a bar in the area that was allegedly the site of drug sales and other illegal activity.

Despite repeated directives from the city, the bar owner failed to beef up security and clean up the establishment, Arreola said. Residents and merchants constantly complained, and sheriff’s deputies made several arrests for drug sales involving both patrons and employees of the bar, according to Arreola.

“It got progressively worse,” he said.

City officials then realized that there were two liquor stores next to the bar, a gas station across the street that sells alcohol in its mini-mart and several more liquor stores nearby on Magnolia, Arreola said.

As they discuss potential rules, Stanton leaders will look at how other cities handle the situation, Arreola said.